Tsume's Amber
by Tsume's Gurl
Summary: Wanting to be with your love one is difficult when you have an over protective father that chases your one and only away, Amber's mother lets her daughter go and tells her to go reunite with him. TsumexOC.Fix up a bit, but think this will work. finalch up
1. Reunited

"How can I live without him? Mom he was the best thing that has happened in my life," a white female wolf said.

"I know, your father and I have never seen you so happy. So Amber we were thinking…" a brown she – wolf trailed.

"We as in who?" Amber asked.

"Your father and I. we think you're ready to… we think you should go find him, go look for Tsume. For your true love," Amber's mother said.

Amber's ears perked and her tail started wagging, "Oh mom thank you so much. Dad didn't approve did he?"

"No, now go; before he hears," the she – wolf said.

Amber turned and ran off, she was off to search for a gray male wolf, and the older female looked on and watched as her only pup ran to find the male of her dreams.

Amber traveled for miles before she curled up under a tree and fell asleep.

The next morning, Amber got up and continued on her way. She caught the scent of Toboe the young pup traveling with Tsume.

Amber knew that wolves weren't too much further so she went full out and ran after the scent. Her heart pounded and the scents of the four males got stronger, and she got excited.

She stopped atop of a hill and looked around, after running like she did her body was very tired and very sore. When she looked down she saw the males' backs and behind them was the male she has fallen in love with, "Tsume!"

The three males stopped, but one didn't. Toboe genially took Tsume's tail into jaw and lightly tugged.

Tsume then turned and in the corner of his golden eye he saw a white wolf on the hill, he turned to see Kiba ahead of the pack. He looked back to the wolf on the hill and he was able to see the amber green eyes of the wolf.

Amber took two steps forward, her muscles exploded with new found energy and she ran down the hill, Tsume walked away from the others.

Amber leaped the rest of the way down, Tsume and Amber were in human form and Tsume caught the she – wolf and spun around.

Amber's arms went around Tsume's neck and her lips genially laid on his. Her feet were now on the ground and Amber's hands moved to his chest, his hands were on Amber's hips.

"Tsume, I…" the white haired teen cut her off by crashing his lips against hers.

Hige covered Toboe's eyes and shook his head, "Get a cave!"

Amber pulled away, she looked over at Hige, "Are there any around?"

Tsume was amused by how Amber's behavior was and then it hit him, Kiba had them move for five months little rest, and they walked. Amber, however, caught up in less than two months, "Amber how did you… how long were you out here?"

"About two months, I ran the whole time. Don't worry I rested, and remember the month before you left? Three nights before?" Amber said.

"How can I forget, I made you my mate and your father chased us out," Tsume said looking away.

"Mmhmm, well how many months has I been?" she asked.

Toboe moved away from Hige and saw Amber, he notice that her once tiny stomach is now a little bigger, "Amber why is your stomach getting bigger?"

Amber smiled and walked up to Toboe, "Keep it a secret, I'm having pups."

The pup looked at Tsume then to Amber who had a big smile.

Amber turned to Tsume and looked over at Kiba, "Um Kiba, do you mind going on? I'd like to talk to Tsume."

Hige Toboe and Kiba walked off, Tsume walked up to his mate and gentility laid his hand on Amber's belly, "You're pregnant?"

"Yea, almost four months now," she answered.

"Four months? Amber does your parents know or at least your mother," Tsume asked.

"Mom told me to find you, so yea they both know I'm with your pups. Dad's not too happy, at me and with himself for chasing you out," Amber said.

"Amber, one more time or wait until after you have them? We'll catch up to the others later," Tsume asked. The two walked passed a cluster of trees, Tsume stopped and pulled Amber close to him. They kissed and made love for the second time since they met eight months ago, they walked together and Amber had Tsume's hand in hers. She rested her head on his shoulder, Tsume looked at her belly and smirked, "We're really going to have pups."

"Yes, I think there are three," Amber said with a smile and touched her belly.

The two wolves met up with the other three, "Geeze, what were you tow doing?" Hige asked.

"Nothing, just came clean with him, and when Tsume's ready. He'll tell you," Amber replied looking up at her mate. Tsume nodded then went off hunting; Amber sat with Toboe who was in a river by the area where the pack stopped.

Toboe swam up to Amber and looked at her belly, "Are you really having pups? Is… is Tsume the father?"

"Yes, and absolutely, what do you think?" the white female wolf asked.

Toboe looked at Amber with a smile, "That's awesome! You're going to be a mom and Tsume will be a dad."

Amber splashed the pup and smiled, "Yes, that will happen, and you will help us watch the pups. You're going to be an uncle."

"Really, how?" Toboe asked.

"You're Tsume's brother aren't you?" Amber asked.

Toboe nodded Amber caught the scent of Hige, she lowered and Hige got closer. Toboe looked over and saw Hige at the river's edge, Amber growled, "Can we help you, Hige?"

"Just letting you know, Tsume Kiba and I are coming in," Hige said then left.

Toboe watched Amber swim up to a waterfall, "Tobi, if Tsume asks for me; say I'm in here." Amber went behind the waterfall and into a warm cave, "Hey Runt," Hige greeted.

"Where's Amber," Tsume asked.

"Over there, she wanted to get away from Hige," Toboe said.

Tsume dove and fallowed Amber's scent, it was faint, but he found her.

In a warm cave, Amber sat in a hot bath, it felt heavenly. Tsume entered the pool and moved behind his mate, then wrapped his arms around Amber's waist.

"Hey how was hunting?" Amber asked.

Tsume felt Amber's belly twitch and smirked, "They're lively."

"No not yet. They're just getting ready for a nap, I told Toboe he could help with the babies and since he's your brother he'll be the babies' uncle," Amber said.

The brown haired teen turned to Tsume, "I'm worried Tsume, Hige's so immature and around the pups… I'm scared for them."

"Don't worry, they'll be safe. After all I'm their father," Tsume said kissing Amber's forehead.


	2. Before there was love

Chapter Two

_Before Love_

A young white she – wolf walked out of her cave with her mother, they walked up to a gray male wolf who happens to be the alpha. The male looked over and nods a greeting to the two females, "Good morning ladies."

"Good morning dear," the alpha female replied.

"Hi dad," the young wolf greeted.

"How's the pack?" the male's mate asked.

"Very lively, not sure why," the male answered.

"Dakota, sir the territory checks out alright. Nothing out of the ordinary," a rustic male said looking up at his alpha.

"Good work General, take some young males and show them the perimeter. Where it's okay to be and where it's not," Dakota said.

"Yes sir," General replied bowing.

Dakota's daughter Amber watched wolves her age walk away with her father's friend, "Dad why can't I go with them? I'd like to see the territory too."

"I know Amber, but the pack has a lot of enemies. I don't want them to try anything with you around; the last thing I want is for you to be harmed in any way. After all you are my one and only daughter." Dakota said.

Amber rolled her eyes and walked away, her mother Wynonna watched the energetic juvenile walk away know full well what the young she – wolf was going to do. She was understanding, in ways most kid would like from their parents.

Dakota was a light gray wolf, and Wynonna was brown. How they got a white pup was always a mystery, but they were very proud of Amber, she was very pretty. Pure snow white coat and amber green eyes, she was thin and very fit.

"Love, why don't you take Amber around the territory and show her the wonderful place we call home. She wants to see it, what child wants to see anything their parents own," Wynonna said.

"It's not her place to know, if anything it'll be her mate's job to keep the territory safe. That is if I allow him into the pack, no outsider has ever led this pack since my great grandfather," Dakota said.

Amber walked up to two wolves her age and smiled, "Hi, girls. What's up?"

"Hey Amber, we were talking about these males we saw walking around the territory. We don't think they're part of the pack, they look kind of… roughish," a blonde she – wolf said.

Amber stared at the two and a bigger smile formed, "Really, show me."

"Are you serious? You don't know anything about these males, for all you know they could be spies for the warring pack," the second female said.

"That's why we have to go check them out, Jasmine tell me where you saw them. I'll go on my own and check things out," Amber said.

The two looked at each other, sighing in defeat and led the way to the wolves.

Jasmine and Dusty stopped in some bushes with Amber in the lead, the three saw four wolves. One was older than the rest, and one was very young. Amber turned her head to the she – wolves behind her without taking her eyes off the four.

"Go get General; he should be close by with young males," Amber said.

The two females ran off looking for the big rustic male, Amber turned fully to the wolves watching every move they made.

"Guys we should stop here tonight, the runt looks tired," a bear like wolf said.

"I'm not tired, I can… -Yawn- …keep going. Stop calling me runt," the youngest wolf said.

A white wolf looked at the rest of the wolves, "Guess we can rest tonight, we have been traveling for awhile."

A gray wolf looked at the other three; he laid under a tree and watched the surrounding area.

"Amber what are you doing here?" the voice of the rustic male reach the young she – wolf's ears.

"I was keeping an eye on them, they're stay the night. The white one appears to be the leader, the brown ones… one of them is a pup, the other I have no idea," Amber said.

"What of the gray?" General asked.

"He's the muscles, he's constantly looking around." Amber replied. What her father doesn't know is that Wynonna had General train Amber in surveillance; it was a good thing too. The young males always miss thing, but Amber she sees everything.

"Good job, Amber. Come let's go talk to them, see what they're doing here," General said walking out of the trees, with Amber by his side.

The four wolves jumped to their paws and stood their ground, the white and gray males stepped forward.

"Wait stand down, we not here for a fight. I want to know who you are and why you're here my alpha's territory," General said.

The gray and white males looked at each other, "We're only here to rest, we're travelers."

Amber stood looking at the gray male who seems to be wandering whether she was she or he. And if Amber was a female why was she here.

"Are you part of the River pack?" the rustic male asked.

"No we're our own pack, why are you here and not you're alpha? Shouldn't he be taking care of the territory," the gray male said.

Amber narrowed her amber green eyes, and lifted her top lip.

General looked over, "Clam down, the alpha is very busy. He has me watch the borders. If you four need a place to stay, Amber here can take you to the pack. We have plenty of room."

"WHAT!? You want me to take them to the pack, dad would kill them," Amber said.

General looked at Amber, "He won't hurt them, they're just going to rest, they're not going to stay."

Amber turned to the males, "Are you coming or not?"

"Kiba, we shouldn't. We know nothing of this pack, everything about this gives me a bad feeling," the gray male said.

"Tsume, we just going to see the alpha asked to stay the night. We'll leave in the morning," Kiba said.

The gray male sighed; there was no reasoning with the white male. He looked at the pup and motioned for him to get up.

"Kiba, I agree with Tsume. We don't know if we can trust these wolves," the bear like wolf said.

"Come on guys, we'll just stay and rest for the night," Kiba said.

The six wolves walked toward the pack, Amber looked at General, "Dad's not going to like this; you know how he is about males. Thinks they're all out to get me."

"I'll explain everything to him, however, you may want to find away to get out of the trouble you'll be in," the big male said with a smirk.

"Don't worry, I have one," Amber said prancing ahead.

"Amber where have you been? Why are you with General and four outsiders?" Dakota asked.

"Dad do you really want to know what I was doing? I mean I'll tell you but you'll regret it, I just walked back with them," Amber answered.

Dakota looked at his daughter, "I got it, General why have you brought rough wolves into the pack?"

"They need a place of the night, we have extra caves. They're not from the River pack." The big male answered.

Wynonna looked at Amber with a know look, and Amber smiled deviously.

"Very well, Amber show them to the open cave," Dakota said.

Amber looked at him, she shrugged, "Alright, come on boys."

Dakota looked at his daughter tilting his head, looking at his mate who was smiling.

"This pack is too open with who they bring in, I'm surprise no one's taken over," Tsume said.

Amber turned, "There has been packs trying, none has ever successfully taken over. Don't disrespect my pack again."

"Or you'll do what?" the gray male asked challengingly.

Amber said nothing; she stopped at a cave looking at the males.

They stopped the pup Toboe looked at the female, "Don't take what Tsume says seriously, he like picking fight with other wolves."

"Right, anyway there's food over there if you get hungry. Or if you need anything I'll be over there," Amber said walking away.

"Amber come talk to me," Wynonna said.

"Mom did you see that gray male, he's so… so… rraaa I had the nerve to call the pack weak. He's weak, the jerk," Amber said giving small growls.

Wynonna chuckled, "Sweetheart, calm down. I see you have a crush on him."

"A what? I don't have anything for him, I don't even know him. How can I have a crush on someone who's a jerk," the young female said.

Amber looked at her mother who still had a smile, the two she – wolves talked. Dakota walked in to find the two laughing.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

Amber looked up and shook her head; Wynonna pushed her daughter's shoulder, "Give us a few minute honey."

Amber stood and walked out of the cave, Jasmine and Dusty walked up, "Amber, those wolves are here in the pack."

"I know, General brought them here. Dad's allowing them to stay the night, come on let's go to the stream. I feel dirty," Amber replied.

"You're okay with rough males staying in the pack?" Dusty asked.

Toboe walked up and stopped in front of Amber, "Thank you for letting us stay, the others and I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, you should get back to your friends," Amber said.

The pup ran off and the three girls walked to the stream, Jasmine and Dusty walked in screaming the whole way. Amber shook her head, walking up on to a high rock she looked down and smiled. "Look out girls."

She jumped and splashed the other two, getting them wetter then wet, "Amber that's not very princessy of you."

"Who said I was anything like a princess, my dad has no idea what I do when he's not looking. My mom does though," Amber said.

"Your mom won't say anything to your father, will she? I mean if he found out anything of you secret life you'll be in so much trouble," Jasmine said.

"Mom won't say anything, she was the same way when she was my age. Speaking of which, happy birthday Dusty," Amber said smiling.

"Thanks," the light brown she – wolf said.

-SPLASH-

"Hey ladies, mind if I join?" Hige asked.

Jasmine and Dusty screamed running out of the water, Amber glared at him and with her fangs she grabbed on to Hige's collar dragging him back to his friends.

Tsume looked up and saw the alpha pairs' daughter pulling Hige, he stood and Amber stopped in front of the male.

"Does this belong to you?" the young she – wolf asked.

"Unfortunately, why?" the gray male replied.

"He scared my friend, keep this pervert away from them," Amber said walking away.

Tsume looked at the chubby wolf in front of him, "Hige, what were you doing?"

"Nothing, just swam up and said hey," Hige answered.

Tsume walked away back into the cave, he laid in the back to sleep.

Amber walked up to her friends, "Come on let's get back to the pack, it's late."

The three females walked home and split, Amber stopped watching her friends enter their caves. She looked at her cave sneaking away.

Amber stopped in a clearing and pulled on her human disguise she laid in the grass and looked up at the sky, the stars sparkled like the morning dew on the blades of grass. She closed her eyes and listened to everything around her, hearing the crushing of grass behind her she looked and saw the gray male, Tsume.

Sitting up she looked at him, "What do you want?"

The male walked up to a tree and under it in wolf from, staring at the female. Amber looked into his amber eyes seeing nothing but anger.

She stood on all four paws, her eyes were on him but not on his eyes, "Now what do you want? Shouldn't you be with you friends?"

"They could take care of themselves, you on the other hand," Tsume replied.

"Funny, you're hysterical. What do you want?" Amber asked.

The male's eyes narrowed, he stayed sitting, "I can't figure out why you'd be wondering off, when you're the alphas' daughter. You're a princess but you don't act like one."

Amber dropped her head, "Because I don't want to be the type of princess my dad wants me to be, I'd rather goof around then to sit next to some egotistic male. I have a mind and I'm going to use it anyway I like."

Tsume looked at the female and shook his head, "You're a strange one."

"AMBER!"

"Oh great, dad. You should go back to your friends if he finds out that we were together, he'll flip. Hurry," Amber said running off.

Tsume walked back to the cave and talked to Kiba.

Amber met up with her father, "What?"

"Where were you?" Dakota asked.

"Dad, stop treating me like a pup. I'm old enough to lay where ever I want," Amber said walking passed the older male.

"Amber I worry about you, there are a lot of male around that are looking for a mate and most are looking for away to take me down. If something happened to you I'd be open for an attack," Dakota said.

"Dad stop worrying, there is nothing to worry about. General is always around watching over me, as well as the rest of the pack. I have no time to myself, cause I'm living up to your expectations. It does get very tiring, dad," Amber said walking into the cave.

"And I'm sorry you feel that way, I have your best interest in heart," Dakota said.

"Dad if you did, you'd let me go around the borders and scout things out. Dad it would be so fun watching what the other wolves are doing," Amber said looking back at the male.

The two lied down Dakota rested his head on his mate's neck and feel asleep. Amber looked outside the cave at the moon and stars shaking her head. 'Not to mention I want to meet a male and fall in love, but I can't do that with you caging me in.'

The next morning Amber woke up and saw Toboe standing at the cave entrance, she stood and snuck out.

"What are you doing here?"

"Kiba wants to ask you something," Toboe said.

Amber tilted her head, she walked with the pup to the males. Standing outside the cave were three males, Kiba Hige and Tsume. She stopped looking back making sure no one fallowed, "What do you want?"

"Is that all you know what say?" Tsume asked.

Amber glanced at him, but turned to the white male.

"Amber, if you don't mind we'd like to stay here awhile longer. Can you set up a meeting with your father?" Kiba asked.

"Um, I'll see what I can do," Amber replied.

The males looked at each other, "What do you mean?"

"Well, my dad. Never mind, I'll talk to him. One of you will need to come," she said.

The three males looked at Tsume and he glared at them, he walked with his head down. The two walked back to the pack and up to the rock where her father was with her mother.

Amber took a deep breath, "Dad the four males would like to stay a little longer, there's a pup with them. He's young and just learning to travel with the older males."

"A pup, who's pup?" Dakota asked.

"No, sir, our pack has no females. The pack is the wondering kind, picking up strays. There's a white male that's traveling toward something that he heard from his elder, then there's a sandy brown male who eats and complains a lot. The pup was raise by a human, he doesn't know much," Tsume said.

"And what of you?" Wynonna asked.

Tsume looked away, and Amber looked at her parents, "Dad would it be alright if they stayed a bit longer?"

"Yes, that's fine. Stay as long as you need, my daughter will help with anything you need," Dakota said looking at Amber. She smiled up at him, he was giving her space to run.

Wynonna smiled down on her daughter, who looked at the gray male. Dakota notice a glint in his daughter's eyes, something was happening and Amber wasn't aware of it.

The two walked off and headed back to the others, "So, that wasn't so bad. Don't you think?"


	3. It started

Chapter Three

_Love Forms_

Tsume looked at the she–wolf next to him they were walking in wolf form, he smirked, "Right and you were shaking."

Amber froze, and giggled, "You don't know my father, I know he'd have a problem. I just said you guys wanted to stay for reasons unknown, you should thank Toboe for being young."

The two saw Amber's two friends flirting with Hige and Kiba, Amber made a face seeing Jasmine laughing at something Hige said. Tsume made a disgusted face, he looked at Amber who watched the two females.

"You're friends were frightened of that one, what happened?" Tsume said looking down at the girl.

"The hell should I know," Amber replied.

The she – wolf walked forward, "Girls what are you doing?"

"Well… you can't blame us, they're really cute." Dusty replied.

"Don't you think you're moving too fast, you should see if they're free or not," Amber said.

"We're not, that's kind of the reason why we're out here. Kiba's looking for Cheza. And I…" Hige said.

"His girlfriend went back with his master, like the dog she is," Tsume said.

"She's only half dog," Hige said defensively.

The two lowered their heads and braced for an attack, Amber pulled her friends away. Amber shook her head, she turned and ran at the two. Hige saw the female and moved since he was the target, she was trying to get the two away from each other.

She stood over the gray male looking down at him, "Stop, if general hears he and my dad will come and chase you all out."

Tsume pushed the she – wolf off him and stood, Hige and Tsume looked at each other.

Amber looked at her friends and saw them giggling, she walked up, "What are you talking about?"

Tsume looked over at the white she – wolf, Hige stepped next to the gray wolf, "What are you think about? How's your pride? She took you down."

"Shut up Hige," Tsume said walking away.

"Amber, you're falling in love with the gray male. You don't see it yet but we do," Jasmine said.

The white female looked at her friends, "What makes you so sure?"

"The way you look at him when you tackled him, though you wouldn't know because you can't see it yourself. You're blind when it comes to love," Dusty said.

Amber looked at the two, she turned away from the females, "Sorry guys, we have to go. If you need anything just come get me."

The three females walked away and headed for home, Amber looked back at the gray wolf. He was staring at her, she trotted away shaking her head.

Amber saw her mother and father standing on the rock, Amber wondered what was happening. There was a crowd around the front, Amber ran through and when she got to the middle. She saw the big rustic male lying motionless. Her head flew up in shock, she ran up to see his belly slashed open.

"Get away from him!" Dakota growled.

Amber looked up, "No, who did this to him?"

Dakota jumped down and pushed his daughter away, "He was killed by the River pack, now leave."

The white female ran through the crowd, and toward the River pack's border. That took her passed the males, Hige saw the white blur.

"Hey Tsume, you might want to go after Amber. I think she might do something," Hige said.

The gray male looked up and saw the white female run towards the enemy border, he stood and went after the she – wolf.

Tsume jumped in front of the female, stopping her in her tracks. She couldn't stop soon enough that she ran into him tumbling over.

Amber sat up, she looked at the male, "Why did you do that?"

"What are you doing?" Tsume replied with a question of his own.

Amber looked away, "That damn River pack, they killed General. I will make them pay."

Amber stood and walked off, toward the river. Tsume went after her, "I don't think your father wants you to do this."

"For once I don't care, if my father sees me fight good. Maybe he'll stop treating me like a child," Amber said stopping near a tree.

Tsume stopped next to her, he looked at this female's face it held anger and sadness, "Amber, you don't what to do this."

The two turned and saw the others, she turned back and stepped passed the tree. "I demand to know who kill General of the Mountain pack!"

A black male wolf turned and smirked, "That'd be me."

The white she – wolf, ran at the male and tackled him, "How dare you kill him, why were you in our territory?"

"Actually he was in ours, telling me that your father wanted to join the two packs. The only way I'd do that is if you became my mate," the black wolf said.

Hige pulled Amber away, Tsume took the male's throat in his jaw, "Or you can die and your pack will get taken over, by them."

"Leave him be, Amber. What are you doing here?" Dakota asked. The wolves looked over seeing the Mountain pack, Amber looked at her father and mother. She rushed at the black wolf he stood and the two started fighting.

Dakota watched his daughter fight the alpha of the river pack, every wolf there watched a small female wolf attacking the strongest wolf of the River pack.

"STOP THIS!" Dakota howled.

The two wolves stopped and turned to the gray alpha, Amber was flipped by the black male he stood over her. Teeth bared, one of Dakota's males ran at the wolf but was tackled by another black wolf.

"Let her go Nite," Dakota said.

The black male glanced up smiling, "I'll join the packs if…"

"If? If what?" the gray male asked.

"If you allow me to mate with your daughter," Nite said.

Tsume ran passed the wolves and tackled the black male off the white female.

Amber stood and moved closer to her pack, Tsume walked back Amber gave small nod thanking the wolf.

"I'm not mating you to my daughter Nite," Dakota said.

"Then we're not joining the pack, sucks for you. You're pack needs water the stream is drying up and the only water around is my River," Nite said walking away.

Kiba looked at the young wolves and saw that they need help, he looked at Tsume who glared at the black wolf.

Kiba and Tsume attacked the wolves, Tsume taking Nite down. Dakota watched the two wolves fight the River pack on their own.

Amber's amber green eyes watched as Tsume and Kiba fought, she was silently rooting for Tsume to win.

The gray rough male stood with his jaw dripping with blood, Nite was lying bleeding from his neck. The River pack looked on in surprise, Dakota walked up to the two.

"Thank you, but in my pack we don't kill fellow wolves. We try to befriend them," the alpha said.

"And if they go after your daughter, like he did. What would you do?" Tsume growled.

"My daughter can take care of herself; she's been going behind my back and training with General. His dying wish was for you to continue your training," Dakota said.

Amber looked at Tsume who glared at the older male; she walked up to him as her father walked up to the rest of the River pack.

"Thank you, Tsume. I was blindsided by him," Amber said.

"No you were distracted by your father, word of advice. Don't take your eye off the one you're fighting," Tsume said walking away with the other three.

"Amber, come I want to talk to you," Dakota said.

Amber walked up to her father, and sat in front of him, "What?"

"Why didn't you tell me you wanted to learn to fight?" the male asked.

"I've been, dad since I was old enough to pounce on mice and bugs I've asked to learn to fight. You wouldn't hear of it, mom even tried to talk to you about it," Amber replied.

The alpha looked at his daughter, he looked down in shame, "I'm sorry Amber, I have a lot to learn about females. I thought as alpha I'd know everything, but I see I don't. Not yet anyway."

Amber looked at her dad and smiled, "Don't worry dad, you will never understand us females. Not fully."

The two laughed, Amber looked at her father. "Dad, are you okay with me fighting?"

"Not at all, but if it makes you happy; I'll allow it." Her father said.

"Amber, come on. Let's go explore!" Toboe called.

Dakota looked over and saw the young wolf, "Is that the pup, our guest was talking about?"

The white she – wolf looked over and saw the rusty brown male, she nodded, "Yeah, his name is Toboe."

"Go on, you have a lot of territory to explore," Dakota said.

Amber ran after the pup, and the two ran off exploring the new territory.

"So why was Tsume's chest bleeding?" Toboe asked.

"What? He's bleeding?" Amber asked.

"You didn't notice?"

"No, is he okay? Where is he? I have to thank him properly," Amber said.

Toboe thought, "Think he said he was going to the stream, but I'm not so sure."

"Come on," the two ran to the stream. In search of the gray male that fought and killed the old River pack's alpha. Amber trotted though the bushes and shrubs, in the middle of the stream was a very tan man. Toboe smiled as he saw Amber's face, he looked over at his big brother whose back was to them.

She backed into the bush and looked at Toboe, "You set me up didn't you?"

"Kind of, but he is hurt. He won't let anyone look at it," Toboe said.

"Go I'll try to talk to him," Amber said pushing the pup away.

She waited till the rusty brown pup was gone, Amber turned to the man in the water. She gulped and closed her eyes for a second, when she opened them the man was right in front of her. Amber yipped, stumbling back tripping over some roots.

"What are you doing?" Tsume asked.

"Toboe wanted me to look at your wounds, he's worried," the she–wolf answered.

Tsume straightened, "That pup worries over nothing, it was a small scratch."

Amber stepped through the bush and stood in her human form, "I see that, um… thank you for earlier."

Tsume rolled his eyes, "You said that already."

The white she – wolf looked at the male, then looked away, "Um, Tsume could you put something on?"

The tan Tsume smirked; he went to his clothes and dressed. Amber stepped out of the bush and sat at the water's edge, in human form she removed her shoes and put her feet into the cool crystal clear liquid.

She closed her eyes and breathed; opening them again she looked over at the man now in leather. He was leaning against the tree behind him, eyes closed brows furrowed.

"Are you always like that? Cold and distant? I mean how can anyone know what you feel?" Amber asked looking at the white haired man.

"I don't want anyone to know how I feel; it's none of their business," Tsume said.

"And you call me strange, I at least tell those around me how I feel. My parents are an exception though," Amber said.

Hours passed and the two just lounged about in silence, Amber was now lying in the grass eyes closed. Tsume was still standing against the tree, but he was looking at the girl in front of him.

He was curious about how she was so calm and collected; after all she was harassed and lost a close friend. Why wasn't she crying or lashing out at others? He'd lash out at anyone who tried to harass him; Toboe would cry loosing someone he was close to. So why was Amber being so quite.

Opening one eyes, Amber looked up at her guest. "What?"

"I don't understand you; you're not crying or lashing out at anyone. After going through what you had," Tsume said looking away.

Amber sat up, "I am grieving; I just do it inside. Kind of like you I don't like anyone seeing my emotions; General said it's important to keep them hidden. It could be dangerous letting any emotion show when in battle, after learning that. I stopped showing anything."

"AMBER! Where are you?!"

"That's Jasmine, you may want to go. They think that we're together, and when they think that. You can rest assure the whole pack will find out, your friends included," Amber said looking up at the male.

Two wolves stared at each other, the gray male walked away leaving the white female to deal with two annoying gossiping females.

"There you are Amber; your father's looking for you. Something to do with… I don't remember, he wants to talk to you." Dusty said.

Amber sighed, she stood on four snow white paws walking towards her father. Without being detected a dark figure was on top of a rocky ledge watching the white she – wolf with her two friends. 'Daddy dearest would love to know that his good little daughter is hanging around a rough male, things look like they're heating up too.'

"What do you want dad, haven't you learned that growing females need their space," Amber said jokingly.

"I know, I wanted to talk to you about something," Dakota said.

Amber didn't like how he was saying these words, "Talk about what?"

Dakota looked at his daughter and walked up to her, "Come, let's walk."

The two walked off through some bushes, "Amber, you're almost two. You haven't even started looking for a mate yet, I'm wondering when you will. Or if you ever are."

Amber stopped, "DAD! Dad I'm not interested right now, I haven't even found my place in this world. I haven't even thought of a having a mate yet."

"Well I want to know if you have your eyes set on any male in the pack," Dakota said.

"Dad, I'm not talking to you about this. As a young she – wolf I have obligations to myself, and that means keeping my love life away from you. That's something you have to learn about us young females, we don't want dad to find out anything about our love interests," Amber said walking away.

"So you do have someone in your sights?"

"Dad."

Amber walked into the cave, and lay next to her mother. Who was taking a nap.

"Amber, dear. What did your father want?" Wynonna asked.

"He wanted to know if I thought anyone from that pack had my interest, like I'd tell him that," the young female said.

Wynonna laughed, "I see, I know how it is. No one from the pack that's for sure."

Amber looked at her mother, "What do you mean? I don't have my eyes on anyone."

"Amber, I'm your mother. Plus I was your age too, I didn't want my parents to know that male I fell in love with either." The older female said.

"Mom…"Amber trailed.

"I know, it's a certain gray rough," Wynonna said.

Amber nodded, "Dad won't go for it, I'm trying not to fall for him too much, but… I can't help it."

Dakota walked in looking at his two female, "Can't help what?"

The two looked up at the male, "Nothing."

"AMBER!"

"Toboe." the white female said.

"That boy likes you doesn't he?" the brown female asked.

Amber nodded, she stood and walked out with her parents, "What's wrong Toboe?"

"Can you sleep over? We can stay up all night and play games and…" the pup trailed.

The white female smiled and looked at her father, she knew her mother would allow her to go, "Dad, can I go?"

Dakota looked at his daughter, "With four males? I don't know."

"Dakota, your daughter is very responsible. Let her go," Wynonna said.

"Yeah, please let Amber come." The pup asked.

Amber smiled at the young wolf, she looked to her dad, and he nodded, "Alright, you can go. Don't do anything stupid."

"Dad, that's a life of a young wolf, male or female. Staying up all night is stupid, playing games late at night is stupid. But it's all in good fun," Amber said walking away with Toboe.

Dakota looked at his mate and she laughed, "She is right, pups are always doing things like that. Females are no different.

Toboe and Amber arrived at the cave the roughs have been staying at, Kiba and Hige were sitting around eating a fresh moose kill. Tsume was lying under a tree napping, Toboe went and pounced on the older male.

"Uhh, Toboe, what are you doing?" the gray male asked.

The pup got up and looked over at the female that sat with the others, Tsume looked over and saw the female.

"What is she doing here? Toboe," Tsume growled.

"What, she's here having a sleep over with me. We're going to have a lot of fun," the young wolf said looking over at his new friend.

"Hey Amber, are you hungry?" Hige asked.

"No, I'm fine thanks. How have you guys been?"Amber replied.

"We've been good, three meals a day sleeping whenever we want. Yeah this is the life,  
Hige said.

Kiba shook his head, "Thank you for letting us stay here, we're feeling a lot better."

Tsume and Toboe walked up and sat, Toboe sat next to Amber eating the meat of the moose leg.

Tsume tore into the rump, pulling a large chunk off, golden eyes glanced up at amber green eyes that were looking at the four.

"So Amber, what do you want to do first?" Toboe asked.

"What do you want to do Toboe?" she asked with a smile.

The pup thought, he looked at everyone, "How 'bout hide and seek?"

The older wolves looked at the pup, Tsume looked appalled. Everyone but the gray male called out 'Not it' and ran.

Rolling his eyes Tsume closed his eyes, and counting in his head. Pleasing that pup was very annoying, playing the games he thought of. Opening his eyes, Tsume stood and went around. Behind a bush was a sandy brown rump, Hige never did hide well.

"Hige I see you," Tsume said tiredly.

The bear like wolf peaked from behind the tree with his goofy grin.

The gray male walked off searching for the other three, he found Toboe who was under a rock formation. How he found that place was beyond him.

Next was Kiba hiding up on a tree branch, all Tsume had to do was find Amber. Thinking this would be easy he jumped on to a high rock, looking around the land he couldn't find sight nor scent of the white she – wolf.

"Tsume have you found Amber yet?" Toboe and Hige asked at the same time.

The gray wolf shook his head, "No, I have no idea where she went." Tsume was not happy with himself, if only his old pack saw him now. He'd be laughed at by the entire pack. Play childish games and looking for a female.

Everyone was now looking for the white she – wolf, when in fact she was staring up at them from under the water with a hollow stick in her mouth for breathing air.

She couldn't count how many time the males passed her, inside she was laughing.

"AMBER! YOU CAN COME OUT NOW! YOU WON!" Toboe called. Everyone was standing by the water looking around, Amber complied and surfaced.

"Hey guys, missed me?" she asked winking.

All four wolves looked at her, Toboe smiled. No one would have ever thought of that, the she – wolf came walking out of the water and shook right next to Tsume.

Kiba Hige and Tsume looked at the female, Hige saw the stick drop from her mouth. He was shocked, "Wow, who taught you that?"

"No one, I was able to do that for a long time," Amber said licking her foreleg.

"What next Toboe?" Kiba asked.

The pup thought awhile, he looked at Tsume and Amber. 'We'll play tag later tonight, when it's Amber's turn to get us. But what can we do now?'

"I know, let's have a race. We're pretty far from the cave first one there wins," Toboe said.

"Okay, what's the prize if someone wins?" Hige asked.

Amber rolled her eyes, "Whoever wins, won't be made fun of. How's that?"

Toboe nodded, "Yeah, that's a good idea."

"Ready… get set…"

"GO!"

Amber took off at a trot, she looked back, "That was an owl, you can all go now."

The males ran passed Amber, she shook her head with a smirk. 'None of you knows these wood like I do.'

The white she – wolf ran to the right while the others took the way they came, Amber leaped rock to rock and tree branch to tree branch. Before the rest Amber laid on top of the cave and looked down, she could smell the males running. First one there was of course the gray wolf, Tsume. Surprisingly the second was Toboe, third was Kiba, last was Hige.

"So I guess Amber is last," Hige said looking around.

"Really? I kind of figured I was first," the white female said.

Everyone looked up and saw Amber lying atop of the cave.

"You cheated!" Hige called out.

"No I didn't, there was no set course. I won fair in square, you can in last. Sorry," she said.

Hige sat and looked down in shame, glancing up at the she – wolf. The five play many games and had a lot of fun.

It was now dark, the wolves looked at Toboe, "What's next?"

Toboe smiled, all the males were it playing the games Toboe thought of. Amber was not going to be it, "Let's play freeze tag, Amber you're it."

The males looked round, Tsume was the first was jump away. Toboe took off running, then it was Kiba. Hige was the last, he left the area running away from the female. He always dreamed of being chased by a female but not like this.

Amber went after the easiest wolf first, Hige was slow. After all this running everyone one was tired, but three males weren't as tired. Amber was running at his side and tagged him. Hige was frozen on the ground watching the white female run off.

Next was Kiba, Amber trotted in behind him and grabbed his tail, "You're frozen too."

Amber targeted Tsume; she walked in front of the gray wolf that was running at full speed. The two crashed and Amber fell back with the male hovering over.

Toboe walked through some bushes and smirked, Hige and Kiba walked up next to the pup. "Runt do you plan this?" Hige asked.

"Yep and it worked out perfectly," the rusty brown pup answered.

Amber looked up into the golden eyes of the gray wolf; he stared down at the amber green eyed white coated female. In the distances atop of a high hill were two wolves, one gray the other brown. They watched the five wolves play game; the male of the two narrowed his eyes at the young female below a small growl escaped his throat. "Calm yourself love, Amber is a growing female. Besides they're just playing around, you've done that at that age."

"I know but that is my daughter," Dakota said.

Amber tucked her chin to her chest, hiding her throat from the male's fangs. The gray male moved away, he walked toward the cave.

"Uh, Tsume. Come on we still have a lot of games to play," Toboe called out.

"It's late kid, time for bed." The older gray male said in a tired gruff voice.

"Then let's all sleep out here, come on I found a nice green area we can all lay in and look up at the sky," the pup said running after his friend.

Tsume stopped and looked over at the pup, "Toboe, if you want to sleep out here. Fine, I'm going to sleep inside that cave."

Amber walked up and grabbed on to the male's scruff pulling him along, "Toboe wants to sleep out here with everyone, which includes you."

Toboe smiled, and walked with the female Kiba and Hige followed the three. Tsume fought the whole way digging his claws into the dirt, Amber pulled harder. At the spot Toboe talked about Amber let go and walked away from the male, her jaw was a bit sore from gripping so tight.

Tsume looked at the female who glanced at him from the corner of her eye, "That was uncalled for; I said he could stay out here. I don't have to."

Amber turned fully toward the male, "Yes, you do. Toboe wants to hang out with all of us, including you. Tsume come with me."

The two walked away, Toboe had hurt look in his eyes. "We'll be right back Toboe, don't worry."

Both wolves walked a ways from the others, "Tsume, the pup looks up to you like a young child would his older brother. I know you played those games for him, but couldn't you do this one last thing for him."

Tsume glanced at the female, why was she asking this of him? Toboe and the others know he hates doing these kinds of things; he hated them ever since he could remember.

"Why is it so important I do this?" he asked.

Amber looked at Tsume in the eyes, "Toboe is still young, meaning everything that he sees he's learning. He's recently new to the wild right? He's been with humans since he could see."

"So? What does that have to do with me lying in the grass with you?" Tsume asked.

"For a pup doing all these thing with them teaches them the importance of live, racing; endurance. Hide and seek; tracking. Everything we played today was something to do with the wild world, you are his teacher. And right now you're teaching him who to be rude and cold hearted. Do you really want him to be like you?" Amber asked.

Tsume thought a second; he looked at the white wolf next to him. He sighed, "I don't care how he grows up, that pup could learn a lot from my life."

"How could he if you do talk to him, you can take this as an opportunity for when you have pups of your own. At this rate your kids will be impossible to keep in check," Amber said getting into the male's face.

The male grabbed the side of Amber's neck and through her to the ground, "Who the hell are you to lecture me?!"

Amber looked up, "Someone who finds pups the best thing in the world, Toboe is impressionable. Everything you say or do around him, are stored in his brain. Right now in his head, his saying **everything** Tsume does I'll do it too. Everything he sees now and forever from you he's going to try. Do you really want that?"

"I don't care, he can do whatever he wants," Tsume said growling.

Amber green eyes widened, "So if he somehow does the exact same things you did, you wouldn't care. If he got into trouble you wouldn't help him, you wished someone would have shown you the right path. You found someone that you looked up to…"

"Shut up."

"You did everything you could to show the adult that you can be just like them…"

"SHUT UP!"

"That wolf didn't even care you did…"

"ENOUGH!!"

"Look what happened, you're out here. Probable the same way your idol was, what happened? He didn't like how his life affected you he decided to get rid of you, that scar is what you have to show for fallowing you idol," Amber finished.

"I SAID SHUT UP!!!!" Tsume in a blind rage grabbed on to Amber's shoulder, tearing a deep gash.

Amber didn't cry out, that would drive the male to pull up. She turned her head so her muzzle was at his ear, she didn't move anymore. She laid there taking the pain of having these fang dig deeper and deeper into her shoulder.

Tsume's eyes cleared, seeing what he was doing. He let go of the crimson stained white fur and looked up, Amber's eyes were closed. She was shivering from the pain, amber green eyes opened. She looked up at pained golden eyes.

Sitting up, she did what her mother did to her when she was upset. Amber rested her chin on top of Tsume's head; his muzzle was against her chest. They stood there like that for awhile, Amber moved not a muscle. She wanted Tsume to take his time and sort out things that were deep inside, however long that took she didn't care.

Tsume pulled himself together, and moved away from the soft snow white fur. He looked to the wound he gave her, looking up Tsume narrowed his eyes. She stood and step back, she walked to a creek and soaked her shoulder. Turning her head she gave a small smile, "Feel better?"

"Not at all, hope you're happy now. We walk back they're going to ask what happened and I don't want to explain anything to them," Tsume said.

"You won't have to, I tell them the truth. It was my fault; I said something I shouldn't have. Don't blame him," Amber said walking out of the creek.

The two walked back to the three, when they saw her shoulder. Toboe jumped up, "Tsume what did you do?"

"Toboe, don't worry about it. It was my fault, I touched a tender nerve. I shouldn't have, he's not at fault" Amber said glancing at the gray male.

"Are you sure? You're not covering for him," Kiba asked.

"It kind of both, don't worry I'm fine. I got him say he'll stay," Amber winked.

Toboe smiled and jumped around, "Alright now it'll be the best sleep over ever."

Amber looked over that Tsume with an 'I told you so' look. The male looked away knowing she was not going to leaving him alone after this.

Like he thought before, pleasing that pup is not ever going to be easy.

Amber stretched and laid, she rolled to her back. Toboe lay next to her and did the same, the rest of the wolves laid around the two Hige rolled to his side facing the white female.

Tsume was further away, but he was still in Toboe's sight. That was all he could do, being too close to anyone scared the tough gray male.

Toboe looked up at the sky, "Amber where do wolves go when they die?"

"They go to heaven, like all creatures on earth," Amber replied.

"Where is heaven? What creatures go to heaven?" Toboe asked.

"Everyone, humans, animals. I don't think anyone knows where heaven is, it's something that our souls find when it leaves our bodies. My great grandfather told me that heaven was beyond the stars, passed the sun. There he saw a bright star," Amber said.

"How do you know?" Hige asked.

"He came to me in a dream, telling me how he got there. But he didn't tell me what it's like. I don't think he was loud to," the white female said.

Tsume rolled his eyes, he lifted his head, "That's a little farfetched."

Smiling Amber turned her head, "You'd think so, but it's true."

"Amber what's it like living in a big pack like yours?" Toboe asked.

"It has its ups and downs, no one could attack you. And when you're the alphas' daughter everyone keeps an eye or two on you, so you can't do anything wrong. You have many friends and family that you had no idea existed," Amber said.

The males all looked at she – wolf, "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, I never knew that a pack could be full of aunts and uncles. Cousins, I'm the only pup my parents had; so I don't have any siblings." Amber said.

"So what about those two friends of yours?" Kiba asked.

"Cousins, they're okay. If you like gossiping chattering airheads anyway," Amber answered.

"So, do you have a boyfriend?" Hige asked.

Amber turned to the overweight wolf and grinned, "Are you interested?"

Hige frowned, "That's mean, you're such a tease."

The she – wolf laughed, along with the others. Amber looked over at Toboe who was sound asleep, "He's still very young, you guys need to be careful. It's not easy being cared for by someone, then having them taken away. If anyone else lost their loved one I don't know if they'd keep anything that reminded them of that person. How long ago did Toboe loose his human?"

"Before we met him, he couldn't even eat the garbage without the crows picking on him. He took hand outs from a human girl," Hige said.

Amber stood and moved away, she sat near a tree and started thinking.

"What are you doing? You shouldn't be out here alone," a deep gruff voice said.

"And what you came out here to keep me company?" Amber asked looking at the male.

Tsume laid under another tree and looked out into the distance, Amber fallowed his gaze. There was nothing in the vast distance, "You can go look around if you want, there's a lot to see."

The gray male looked at Amber, he thought about it. Placing his head on his paw his eyes trailed to Amber's shoulder, her father would probably have his head for that.

"Amber, I'm…"

The white female looked at the male, head tilted, "What?"

"Sorry," he whispered almost inaudible.

She stood and walked up to the male, standing looking down at him, "Sure, well I think I should pay you back for this beautiful scar. What should I do?"

Tsume's head shot up, his eyes narrowed, Amber was smiling. Tsume sat up looking at the white wolf in front of him, "I'm kidding, I was the one who needed pay back."

"What will happen when you're father sees it?" Tsume asked.

"Nothing, don't worry he would do anything. I'll stick to the story I told them, you're fine," Amber said backing up a bit.

"Amber?"

The snow white female dropped her head with her ears out to the sides, "God hates me, those two have a knack for coming at the worst time."

Tsume pushed the female down; he lowered to the ground, "Close your eyes."

Amber did as told; Jasmine and Dusty walked up and saw the two 'sleeping'. Jasmine smiled, "I told you she liked him, they're sleeping together."

Amber's shoulder was facing the two; Tsume peaked, seeing the wound he moved his head to rest on Amber's hunches hiding her shoulder.

Amber's cousins ran back to the pack to tell their uncle, Amber opened her eyes, "What was that for?"

"Hiding that, I have a feeling that they're going to say something to your father," Tsume said looking in the direction the two females ran.

Amber glanced over, she stood and looked down, "We should go back, make those two look stupid."

Tsume stood and walked back to the three other wolves, which were all asleep. Amber stepped over Hige and pushed him over. She looked up at Tsume who went to the tree from earlier, she looked down and Toboe and smiled.

"You're a lot of fun Amber," Toboe said in his sleep.

She smiled and licked the pup's cheek, turning to the gray male she smiled. Hearing paws hitting the ground, Amber lowered and rested her head next to the pups. She shoulder covered by rusty brown fur, with one eye open saw watched as her mother and father stop in the clearing.

"Thought you said they were sleeping together, they're far apart." Dakota said to his two nieces.

"They were, we saw them. They weren't here though, they must have moved," Dusty said.

Wynonna looked at her mate, "Dakota, she's fine. Look, Toboe's the only one she's lying with. Come let's go back to the cave."

Dakota looked out at the five young wolves, he turned and walked away with his mate. Wynonna looked back seeing her daughter's head rise, she continued to walk with the three and disappeared into the bushes.

Amber sat up looking over at Tsume who did the same, she stood and walked to the stream. The male watched her, he laid his head between his paws. He stood and walked over to the female, "Your mother is different from your father, she doesn't agree with him?"

"Not on everything, they see me like her. She was wild in her younger years that what dad fell in love with. He doesn't want me to turn out like her, mom loves the fact that I am. They both love me, but my dad wants what's best for me. Even if I don't want it, but I am not mating within the pack. I'll go behind his back it I have to, mom supports me in anything I want to do. Dad's like… well he's very over protective, mom's not," Amber said lying in the water.

The two went back and went to sleep, Amber lied on her good side.

The next morning, Toboe woke the female by jumping on her. Amber looked up, "Toboe what are you doing?"

"Let's go swimming," the pup said jumping around.

Amber stood and walked to the river with the energetic wolf, she sat on the edge, "Go ahead, I'll watch you. Don't go out too far."

"Okay," Toboe said jumping into the water splashing everything around even Amber.

"Watch out Runt!" Hige shouted out jumping over the female.

Amber jumped up and ran away, she was not going to get splashed again. Stopping she turned and saw Hige surface, she glared at the sandy brown male.

"AMBER!" Jasmine called out.

Turning around Amber looked over and saw the two wolves, she walked up. "What's up?"

"Don't what's up us, you know exactly what we're going to say. We saw you with the gray rough, sleeping together. What were you thinking, his not part of this pack," Dusty growled.

Amber played dumb, "What are you talking about, I was asleep with the pup next to me. I'm not stupid."

"Really then how come we saw you, last night. In the clearing away from him," Jasmine said.

"Amber ,come on, come play," Toboe called out.

The snow white she – wolf looked over and smiled, "I will later Toboe, but Tsume will."

The male looked up and glared, Amber smiled sweetly. Her two cousins looked between the two, Dusty saw something on Amber's body and looked.

"AMBER WHAT HAPPENED?!"

Amber looked at her cousin, "What?"

"You shoulder, what happened?" Dusty asked.

Looking Amber saw how bad the wound looked, "Oh, I pressed for answers and got bitten. No biggie."

"No biggie, that looks horrible. Which one did it?" Jasmine asked.

Amber shook her head, "Don't worry, I'm fine. See."

She jumped around and landed on her paw, though the movement hurt she wasn't showing the pain. Stopping she looked at the two.

"Come on Tsume, come inside the water," Toboe said pulling the wolf's tail.

The white female smirked, "Hold on, I've got something I have to take care of."

She ran towards the male she bunched up her muscles, as she approached. She jumped using her scarred shoulder she and Tsume went into the river, Amber surface and jumped out and ran up to her cousins, "Want to join?"

"Run Amber!" Hige barked.

Looking back, Amber saw a soaked Tsume running at her. She took off at a sprint, she looked back and saw Tsume gaining. She picked out more speed, ears turned back listening for the male's paws. Turning her head she didn't see him looking back she saw him jump out of the bushes, she made a sharp turn running another direction.

Tsume was not giving up, this female was going to pay. Tsume's muscles bunched up, he attacked and the two fell one over the other. They stopped a few feet from where Tsume tackled Amber.

The gray wolf was on his side glaring at the white female, she smiled at him, "Great you caught me now what?"

Jasmine and Dusty walked up, Tsume stood and stepped over Amber's body. He lowered his head and his jaws opened going around Amber's throat, she laid there motionless. Staring up at the male.

"GET OFF HER!" Dusty yelled out, running at the male. Tsume lifted his head and bared his fangs at the light dusty brown female, she stopped and looked down at her cousin.

"Amber?" she whined.

"Don't worry, it's all in good fun. Right Tsume?" Amber said smiling up at the male.

He moved and Amber stood, she went next to the male's side. She took his ear in her mouth and pulled him back to the others, he growled at the female. She was very annoying, he thought of many things he could do to her. But none really sounded good, well none but the thought of her by his side.

"So did he get you?" Hige asked.

"Yeah, but now I have him. Bow down to me male," Amber said.

"WHAT?!" Tsume growled.

Amber rolled her eyes, "Joke, I'm kidding. You take everything seriously, party pooper."

Jasmine and Dusty looked at each other, "Amber, you're in love with him."

The white female let go of Tsume's ear, she turned looking at the two, "What?"

"Don't deny it, you're in love with him. Look at the two of you, chasing each other. Pouncing on each other," Jasmine said.

"That doesn't mean anything, I tackle them too. We're having fun, something you two don't know anything about," Amber said walking up to the two.

"Don't give us that, we see it Amber. We live to see these kinds of things, you can't hide it. You have the same look your mother has for your father," Dusty said with a grin.

The males walked up, the stood around Amber. She looked at them, they bore their fangs. "Leave, or I'll make you."

Amber looked at Tsume, she felt funny. Didn't think they'd stand up for her, didn't think Tsume would be doing this.

"If you do that, we'll tell Dakota. And he'll chase you all out," Jasmine said.

Kiba stepped forward, "What do you think will happen when she tells him that you two are a cussing her of something you think is happening, it'd be your words against hers. Who do you think they'll believe."

Jasmine and Dusty stepped back, "We'll just tell them that one of you attacked her, that wound can be hidden."

Kiba and Tsume stepped forward, Amber looked at the two they were serious about making them leave. If the guys did make them leave, her father would get rid of them. But if she did it.

Amber ran at her cousins, they backed up and ran away. Amber stood there, watching them run. She turned to the males and smiled, "Thanks."

Kiba Hige and Toboe walked away, the two brownish males jumped back into the river. Kiba laid in the shade of the trees, Tsume and Amber walked away from the group. They laid in the sun and said nothing.

Seven months passed, Amber ran in to the cave her friends were staying at. She stepped over Hige and stepped over a light gray belly, she smiled. Lowering her mouth to his, she ran her tongue over his cheek.

The gray male rolled Amber lifted her paws and sat in front of the wolf, she lowered her head and rubbed against his chest. His eyes opened and Amber's amber green eyes stared in to his golden one. Standing she stepped over him again, walking out of the cave she looked back to make sure he was fallowing. The male stood and walked out of the cave, Amber smiled and walked away leading the gray wolf away from the others.

Amber's head was held high, while Tsume's was equally low as his back. The white she – wolf glanced back seeing the male a few feet back, she stopped and turned, "Come on, slow poke. We only have a few hours before sun rise."

Tsume huffed, "Amber, we're waiting time walking. How far are you going?"

"Away from everyone, I finally ditched Jaz and Dusty. Thinking about it, I bathe a lot." She said looking back at the male.

"What about your parents?" Tsume asked.

"Mom knows, dad was still asleep. He has no idea that we're out here," Amber replied.

"When are you going to tell him? I hate sneaking around him. We're together," Tsume said.

"Soon, don't worry Tsume. I'll tell him when he's ready," Amber said.

"When is that? When you're giving birth, by the way dad. Tsume and I are mates, these are his pups," the male asked.

Amber turned with a pleading smile, "At least then he can't really do anything."

"Amber he can kill the pups, if he really wanted to. He force me out and kill our pups," Tsume said.

"You really think he'd do that?" Amber asked.

"I hope not, otherwise I'd take matters into my own paws." The gray male answered.

The two found a cave far from the pack and Tsume's friends, they entered and… well you know.

The two woke up at noon, Tsume walked out and looked around. He turned to the white female who was stepping out in to the hot summer sun. She was glowing and Tsume turned to the world, "Amber I'll come over tonight, we're going to tell your father. We're not keeping this a secret anymore."

The she – wolf stopped next to her mate, and rubbed against his side, "Fine, might as well bring the other three. They should know as well."

Tsume closed his eyes and let the female continue rubbing against his side, he held his tail high with pride his head was held high as well. Amber licked his cheek and the spot between his chin and neck, he lowered his head to stop Amber's licking.

She looked at him and smiled, the two were panting from the heat of the sun. They started walking, Amber stopped at a stream and lapped up some cold refreshing water. Tsume looked around, he lowered his head and lapped up some water. His ears were perked, listening for anyone or anything who'd try sneaking up on them.

The two continued walking and spotted Tsume's pack, the male narrowed his eyes seeing Amber's cousins. Amber saw the two female wolves asking about her, the guys shook their head and shrugged, "We don't know where they are, they're together that's all we know."

Amber looked at Tsume, she was afraid she'd loose the male. Her head rubbed against the side of his neck, Tsume understood. Wynonna would be understanding, Dakota on the other hand. That male was upset hearing that the two of them have been spending a lot of time together.

The two walked forward, Jasmine and Dusty turned and saw their cousin with the rough. "Amber your mother's looking for you, she wants to talk to both of you," Dusty said.

Golden eyes glared at the two, he looked at Amber whose head was slightly down. "Amber it's your mother."

"I know, but dad will be there. Tsume I don't know if I can do this," Amber whispered.

"Come on, you guys come too. Amber, we're doing this," Tsume said a little forceful.

The white she – wolf nodded, the seven wolves walked into the center of the pack. Amber looked up and saw her parents, she and Tsume walked all the way up. Kiba Hige and Toboe stayed below.

"Amber what are they doing here?" Dakota asked.

Wynonna smiled, "Dear, give them room. What's wrong kids?"

"Mom dad, we have something to tell you." Amber started.

Tsume looked at the female, "Amber, just say it."

Amber looked at him and nodded, "Dad, Tsume and I are… I'm Tsume's mate."

Dakota's mouth dropped, Wynonna smiled, "Congratulations, you two."

"What? You know about this Wynonna? Why was I the only one who didn't know," Dakota asked in an angry tone.

"Dad, this is another thing fathers don't understand about their daughters. Dad the heart of a female is her own to give to any male she wants, mom gave you hers and I gave mine to Tsume," Amber said looking at her father in his brown eyes.

Dakota turned away, he looked down at the ground beneath his paws, "When did you two?"

"Before sun rise, we've talked about. We're ready dad, we love each other," Amber said looking at Tsume with a smile.

"You're too young to know anything about love, your mother and I were too young to know anything about love. You're my daughter, Amber. I chose you a mate from within the pack," Dakota growled.

Tsume stepped in front of his female, he challenged the older gray male.

"Don't challenge me boy, you will lose," the alpha said.

"Dad, you can talk to Tsume that way. Like it or not he's my mate, your son-in-law." Amber said forcefully.

Wynonna looked at her daughter, she pressed her shoulder to Tsume's. The older female smiled but at the same time she frowned, looking at her mate the brown female lowered her head.

Dakota turned sharp and glared at the two young wolves in front of him, "AMBER, YOU LET THIS MALE PLANT HIS SEEDS INSIDE YOU?!"

Amber narrowed her eyes and looked up at her father, "Yes."

Everyone gasped, Tsume looked down at his friends. Kiba was wide eyed, Hige's jaw dropped. Toboe's head tilted, not knowing what they were talking about. The young gray male turned back to the older male, "Dakota, if I'm correct. You and your mate did the same thing, Amber and I are in love. We're listening to our hearts."

Amber smiled, hearing Tsume say the same thing she did to him. Golden eyes moved to amber green eyes, they turned back to the alpha male.

Wynonna smiled and stepped forward, "Dakota, your daughter chose her mate like you allowed her. Look at them, they are in love. Don't do anything you will regret."

Dakota looked at his mate, then to the two. Turning his head, "Leave."

Amber and Tsume looked at the male, the white she – wolf's eyes widened. She turned to Tsume and placed her head under his, "No father, you kick him out you better do the same to me."

The alpha looked at his new body guards, "Forest, get rid of this wolf and his friends. Crater keep my daughter from running after him."

Amber and Tsume looked at the two black wolves, Tsume growled warning them back. He was going to fight, for his mate. Forest, however, over powered the gray wolf. Amber stretched her muzzle to him, they touched for a split second. Then Tsume and his friends were gone.


	4. Grief

_Chapter Four_

_Grief_

Amber watched helplessly as her mate was forced out, tears rolled down her muzzle and dripped on the ground. Dakota looked at his daughter, he walked up and lowered his head over hers.

The white female pushed him off, "I HATE YOU! YOU COULDN'T LET ME AND TSUME BE TOGETHER, YOU HAVE TO RULE MY LIFE! WHY?! YOU AND MOM BECAME MATE WHEN HER FATHER WOULDN'T ALLOW IT. WHY CAN'T I BE WITH TSUME?!"

"That was the past, Amber. I don't want you to be unhappy, you could have done better than him," Dakota said.

"No father, I was happy. You just took it away," Amber said running away.

The male stepped forth, "Don't you dare go after her! Have you ever heard of the 'heart's desire.' You're daughter… our daughter found the one, what happened the male I fell in love with.

Two months passed Amber woke up some time afternoon, she walked out of the cave Tsume and her mated and looked around. She saw her mother walk up, with a fresh deer.

"Sweetheart how are you doing?" Wynonna asked.

"His scent is fading, this cave should have both our scents, but his is almost gone," Amber said looking at her mother.

The brown she – wolf nodded, "I can't tell you I know how you feel, cause I don't. I was able to stay with your father, Amber if you want… think about it before you say anything. Honey if you want you can go and fine him. But for now, eat up. You need your strength."

Amber nodded and started to eat the deer, Wynonna heard paws crunching the earth behind her. Turning she saw her mate walking up, "Sweetheart, are you ready to see him?"

"Only if he brings Tsume back," Amber said retreating back into the cave.

Dakota walked up, he could smell the wolf his daughter mated with. He walked up next to his mate, "This has gone on long enough, Amber get out here now."

"Have you found Tsume yet?" the cracked voice of Amber asked.

"I will not allow him back in, that is final." Dakota said.

"Then you can get use to me not being in the pack, Tsume was… still is everything to me. I'm having his pup," Amber said from inside the cave.

Dakota looked at his daughter, "You're pregnant?" the alpha walked off, he looked back seeing Amber and Wynonna talking. He went back to the pack.

"How can I live without him? Mom he was the best thing that has happened in my life," a young snow white female wolf said.

"I know, your father and I have never seen you so happy. So Amber we were thinking…" a brown she – wolf trailed.

"We as in whom?" Amber asked.

"Your father and I. we think you're ready to… we think you should go find him, go look for Tsume. For your true love," Amber's mother said.

Amber's ears perked and her tail started wagging, "Oh mom thank you so much. Dad didn't approve did he?"

"No, now go; before he hears," the she – wolf said.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

___________________

Tsume felt Amber's belly twitch and smirked, "They're lively."

"No not yet. They're just getting ready for a nap, I told Toboe he could help with the babies. Seeing as how he's your brother he'll be the babies' uncle," Amber said.

The brown haired girl turned to Tsume, "I'm worried though, and Hige's so immature and careless, him being around the pups… I'm scared for them."

"Don't worry, they'll be safe. After all I'm their father, besides Hige's not that careless. He's grown since the last time you saw him," Tsume said kissing Amber's forehead.

Amber looked at the male, she smiled and nodded. The two relaxed in the warm water of the spring, Tsume laid his chin on Amber's shoulder. She turned causing the white haired twenty looking man's head to drop, glaring up at Amber he growled.

She smiled and pressed her body to his and kissed him, the two left the cave and swam up to the others.

Hige looked up and smirked, "Where were you two? I mean you guys were away for awhile."

"We were talking, if it's any of your business," Tsume said looking at the sandy brown haired nineteen year old.

Amber looked at her mate and then to the young wolf, who was looking at her belly. "Do you want to feel them kick?"

Toboe looked up and nodded, he walked up and Amber took his hand and placed it on her the side of her belly.

The kid's yellowish-brown eyes widened, "They're really moving, it feels funny."

Amber smiled, "Yep, that's them. When they get bigger it'll hurt a lot more."

Hige looked at the three; there was something he was missing. Something the three kept between themselves, he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Kiba stood and looked at the oldest wolf in the pack, "Tsume I need to talk to you." The two walk away and Amber watched them go.

Toboe looked at Amber, "Don't worry, they're just talking."

"No, Kiba's going to tell Tsume to leave me here. Having a pregnant female will slow you guys down. And once the pups are born, we're have to stay put for a little while," Amber said looking away.

All of a sudden, Amber covered her mouth and held her stomach. Rushing to part of the lake with a bush around it, both Hige and Toboe looked at each other confusedly.

Tsume and Kiba came back, Tsume looked pissed. "Where's Amber?"

"She ran over there, don't know why." Hige said shrugging.

Tsume walked toward the bush, "Amber? Are you alright?"

"No, I haven't eaten anything in a while. I'm going to find something to eat," Amber said walking from the bush fully dressed.

"You go relax I'll go find something, I need to go hunting anyway," Tsume said.

Amber smiled lightly, "Thank you, you're the best boyfriend a female could have.

Tsume captured Amber's lips in a passionate kiss; Amber's fingers touched his jaw line. He wrapped his arms around her waist and felt the babies within kicking, "One's going to be a boy."

"Why do you say that?" Tsume asked.

"Only one kicked as we were kissing, if that's mother's intuition. You shouldn't doubt a woman's feeling." Amber said.

Amber walked back to the pack, Tsume smirked and ran off looking for something he could feed his mate and friends.

Kiba looked up and saw the pregnant female; he looked around for the gray wolf. "Did Tsume tell you?"

Amber looked up, "Tell me what?"

"Kiba, don't. Whatever Tsume has to say, let him say it," Hige said in a growl.

Toboe tilted his rustic color head, his mouth slightly ajar. His ears twitch, something about what Kiba said was making him uneasy.

An hour later, Tsume came back with a bull moose. More than enough for the whole pack, when he got back he noticed everyone was quit. Looking around he looked for the white female wolf.

"Where's Amber?" he asked.

Hige looked up and frowned, he turned to glare at Kiba. Tsume fallowed the overweight wolf's gaze, "What did you say to her?!"

Kiba didn't say anything, Toboe stood, "He told her that she'd have to stay behind, being pregnant and all; she'd slow us down."

Tsume glared at the white male, "Why? Why would you say that? Amber is just as part of this pack as anyone of us."

"We don't need to have pregnant female with us, what would happen if Darcia or Jagara comes after us. How can she get away having a belly full of pups?" Kiba asked.

Tsume's eyes widened, he hadn't thought of that. Then something came to him, "Then take Hige and Toboe; go without us. I'm not leaving Amber behind again, I'll protect her."

Hige and Toboe looked at the gray wolf, that didn't sit too well with the two. "Kiba, we can get Cheza back no problem. Even with Amber condition, after we get Cheza was can rest for a few months or so. We all need it, even you need to relax."

Tsume looked at Hige, his golden orbs thanking the sandy brown male. His golden eyes turned back to the white male, their eyes connecting. For once Tsume was not challenging the white wolf, but asking to let him keep his white female with them. "Kiba, I know you don't like Amber. I don't like that flower girl of yours, but I put up with her around. Not everyone likes the smell of flowers around them all the time, Amber is everything to me."

Toboe looked at the muscular gray male, Tsume's grown he's caring for someone other than himself. seeing how soft his brother figure became with the white she – wolf as weird at first, but now now Tsume's treating Hige and himself better. Amber was the best thing that ever happened to the gray male.

Kiba was deep in thought when Amber walked up, she stopped next to Hige. How glanced over, "Tsume's asking Kiba to keep you with pack, this is not the Tsume I met a few years ago."

Amber lowered her eyes, "Did I do something wrong Hige? My father said that mating outside the pack was unforgivable, not Kiba… am I really going to slow you down?"

"Nope, we're going to get Cheza and rest for awhile. Long enough for you the pups and Tsume to get use to each other," the sandy brown bear like wolf said.

Amber green eyes glanced up and smiled, "Thank you Hige, that's nice of you to say."

Tsume looked over to the snow white she – wolf, he saw that her belly was getting bigger. Pride was growing within him, raising his head he motioned for Amber to come to him. She did and he looked at Kiba, "We'll rest only until the pups can walked, and keep up. Being my cubs, they'll be strong."

Kiba's light golden eyes looked at the female's belly, her milk glands were developing making it look like her belly would sag against the ground. "Fine, let's go get Cheza."

Toboe and Hige jumped and cheered, Tsume smirked looking at his mate. She smiled her head down, turning Tsume grabbed the bull. Dragging it to the group, everyone looked at Amber. She made a face but as it was offered she took the first bite and tore into the stomach of the animal.

The stomach had a lot of the nurturance that she and the pups needed, Kiba watched his companions eat and laugh. Hige stayed away from the stomach, his favorite part. Tsume took a leg and laid away from the pack, Amber scolded Toboe for sticking his head into a hole in the moose's side. Kiba looked over at Tsume who was atop a rock looking out in the distance, the leg still in front of him. He turned to look down at four, which did not sit well with Kiba. From the rock Tsume looked like he was the alpha, Amber looked up at the gray male and smiled. She scrunched up her nose and glared at her stomach, Hige and Toboe laughed. Tsume tilted his head wondering what was going on, seeing Amber lick around her nipples and pulling the fur away. They only had four or five months left and Amber was getting bigger, a lot bigger.

Later that night Amber walked to the lake and laid in it, her belly was hot and it was very uncomfortable. Tsume walked up and saw the she – wolf, he went up and laid on the lake side, "Are you okay?"

Amber turned, "Yeah, what about you? You had a hard day, Kiba saying what he did."

Tsume frowned, looking back at the white male, "He's… still young, he doesn't understand. Kind of like Hige, they're learning."

The white she – wolf walked up to the gray wolf and laid next to him, her head rubbing against his neck, "I love you Tsume, thank you for being you. Going soft or not, I think you're who you always were."

Tsume shook his head at the thought of him being this soft at any point in his life, he's never been soft. Sure he was kinder to Toboe, but that was only because he was a pup. When Amber came around, he couldn't help but make her happy. His icey cold heart thoud and he became somewhat of a softhearted male. The world became better world now that he had Amber and now his… their pups.

Amber rested her head on his shoulder, his golden eye looked down at the white muzzle. Amber green orbs closed and her white body lent against a strong gray side, the two laid there for hours until they fell asleep.

The next morning the two woke up to yelling, "TSUME! Kiba… he's fighting an army of nobles!"

The gray male got up and looked down at Amber, she stood and ran toward where the pack rested. Tsume fallowed and they attacked, Amber being careful without the enemy noticing.

"KIBA!" a shy voice called. The pack stopped as the nobles were taken care of, Amber stood at Tsume's side looking at the 'human' that called to the white male.

The girl ran up to Amber and wrapped her arms around her neck, Amber stiffened, "Um, I'm not Kiba. He's over there."

The girl pulled back and looked at the white wolf, "This one is confused."

"Cheza? Don't worry, Tsume was when Amber came over the hill," Hige said smirking. Kiba walked up to Cheza and she smiled, "You are Kiba, this one can tell now."

She knelt down and wrapped her arms around the male wolf's neck.

Amber looked at Tsume who's eyes were hard, she looked at the human that smelt like flowers. It was so strong that she sneezed and shook her head at the strong over powering scent.

"This is one reason why I can't stand her around, now that she's here I can't smell your scent," Tsume said looking at the she – wolf.  
Kiba turned to the gray wolf and glared, "There doesn't need to be anyother scents around here, Cheza's the only one that matters."


	6. Pregnant and very moody

_Chapter Six_

Pregnant and very moody

It's been three months since Amber joined the pack and they found Cheza, the white female's belly was twice the size it was. Tsume's been hunting twice a week now, usually one bull moose would last for a few days, but now that Amber has unborn pups to feed he's been out. Toboe noticed that there wasn't much time left until the pregnant Amber was ready to give birth in a few more months.

The pack found a huge cave and started living there; Kiba was getting antsy and agitated. He was wondering how long it would the nobles to find them, now he's got Cheza and both Tsume's mate and pups to watched out for. Amber was resting in a patch of sun that came through the tree tops; she was always tired and hot. This and being pregnant was not a good combo, for the past month now she was snapping at Hige for being loud and obnoxious. Toboe silently laughed at the sandy brown male, he asked Amber if she needed anything and she'd smile saying, "No thank you, I'm fine."

Tsume walked up with a big bull moose, he had a few scratches and bruises. But they didn't bother him, Amber looked over and frowned. "Tsume are you alright? What happened?" Amber stood and walked over and licked the gray male's shoulder.

"Amber, you should be lying down. Resting." Tsume said watching the female lick his shoulder. God did he love this snow white creature next to him; her smell was intoxicating. And the warmth of her tongue.

"I know I should be resting, but I wanted to come greet you. Then I saw the scratches, what happened?" she asked.

Tsume shook his head, grabbing the bull he pulled it towards the others. Kiba walked up and started tearing into the bull's belly, everyone started at the white male.

"Kiba that parts for Amber, she needs that," Toboe said.

"It's fine, I'll just eat the other parts," Amber said taking meat from the back.

Tsume pulled a leg and walked away, Amber smiled watching her mate drag the leg under a tree.

After the white she – wolf ate her fill she went to lie down under a tree to rest, Tsume looked up at the others and walked up to Hige, "You guys keep an eye on Amber, I don't like how Kiba's acting. I need to go take a bath."

"You got it Tsume, don't worry she's safe with us," Hige said.

Tsume walked away Amber looked at him with a smile, he left through some bushes to a river.

Cheza was sitting in a ray of sunshine, taking in nurturance. When she finished, she skipped up to Amber who was lying on her side with her head between her front paws.

The flower maiden placed her hand on Amber's belly and smiled, "This one can feel the small heart beats."

Amber smiled, "I'm sure you can, I feel them kicking every couple of hours. It's very painful." Amber lifted her white head and looked at the pink haired girl, pale hands rubbed white furry cheeks.

"You feel very soft, not like Kiba. He feels… rougher, I still love him." Cheza said.

Amber nodded, letting the girl know she heard. Kiba opened his eyes, not seeing Cheza by his side he stood and looked around. Cheza was sitting with Amber's head on her knees, the pink haired flower maiden stroked the pregnant wolf's stomach and he heard the two laughed.

Tsume came walking up and saw Cheza and Amber talking, he strode up and stood to Amber's side, "Cheza, sorry but Amber needs her rest. Would you leave her alone for now?"

Cheza stood and walked off, Amber looked up and smiled, "Thank you for being nice, are you going to lay with me?" Tsume lowered to the ground and sighed, he laid his head on his paws and Amber smiled. She licked him from muzzle to the tips of his ears.

"What's wrong Tsume?" she asked.

"Tired, hunting twice a week it's not easy." He replied.

"I'm sorry, just few more months and the pups will be here. Take Toboe with you next time, he's ready to hunt. He's been pouncing on field mice, and other small creatures." Amber said laying her chin on the back of Tsume's neck.

The pack fell asleep outside the cave, since it was a warm night. They all woke up hearing yells of pain; Toboe looked next to Tsume and didn't see Amber. He jumped up and yiped. Tsume looked next to him and stood he ran into the cave seeing if the white female was in there, the gray male found her in the back in a hole.

"Amber?"

"It's time. Tsume they're coming," Amber whined.

The gray male nodded stiffly, "Should I leave or do you want me to stay?"

"You don't have to leave, just keep them out," Amber said.

Tsume turned and saw three heads poking into the cave, "Come on guys give her some privacy, Amber I'll be out side of the cave. Call, if you need me."

Tsume paced back and forth outside the cave, it was killing him, hearing Amber panting as hard as she was.

After about ten fifteen minutes more, everything was quiet. Tsume stopped and looked into the cave, a couple of minutes passed and the pack heard squeaks. Hige and Toboe looked at each other, and then turned to the gray male who stood there eyes widened and ears perked. Hige stood at the male's side and grinned, "So dad, you going to see your family or what?"

Tsume glanced at his friend; he took a step forward and entered the cave. Amber was licking something small and dark, amber green eyes looked up and then went back down. The gray male walked up more and saw a litter of four wolf cubs, his eyes widened and his pride grew even more. One pup inched its way to the male's paws, looking down he smirked. Amber smiled and felt so much pride and love that her own smiled widened. With gentile jaws Tsume picked up his pup and laid it at Amber's belly, she licked his muzzle and he did the same. This was a silent moment, it was interrupted by Toboe and Hige, "Can we see?"

Tsume looked back at the three and smirked, Amber nodded, "Yeah, just be **very **careful and quiet."

The three wolves and the flower maiden walked in and looked at the small pups, Toboe tilted his head, and "They're so small. Are all cubs like this?"

Amber smiled and nodded, "We all were like this, even Tsume."

Toboe looked at the gray male and then down at the newborns, Kiba stepped in front of the group and looked down at the tiny pups.

Amber stared at him, antiapating what he was thinking. Tsume was standing behind Amber and the pups he was ready to protect if the white male attacked.

"This one would like to pet one, is that alright?" Cheza asked.

Kiba looked at the pink haired girl and turned to Amber. Seeing if the she – wolf refused.

"Not now Cheza, in a month or so. Right now I… we have to make sure that they're alright, they're too little for any physical contact." Amber said looking at the flower maiden.

Kiba stepped forward and Tsume stepped over his family, Tsume's eyes connected with Kiba's in warning. But he broke eye contact and looked down at one of his pups; it was between his gray paws with its head on his foot. Amber smiled and looked at Kiba, "Could you all leave, except you Tsume. I've got to feed them, and they need peace and quiet so they could sleep… so do I."

Toboe Hige and Cheza walked out and Tsume placed the pups at her side, the four found nipples and started suckling. Tsume lay behind his mate and watched the white male stand in front of them, Amber licked the little wolf pups' heads. Looking up at Kiba she tilted her head, "Is something wrong?"

"Why won't you let Cheza touch one of them?"

"Kiba, for the first couple months; mother and father are usually the only ones with the pups. After that they start moving around and then you and the others can play with them… gently, they're very fragile." Amber said.

Kiba walked out and the new mother and father touched each of the four pups getting them use to their individual touch.

Tsume laid his head on Amber's hunches and one golden eye looked at his kids, he sighed and smirked. Amber felt his and smiled, she curled around the litter and one of her amber green orbs looked into the gray male's eye, "Good night, love."

"G'night, Amber… kids," he said.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter Seven_

_**The first month with the Pups**_

One full month has passed and Hige was watching the pups as mom and dad went to a river and bathed, Toboe played with two of the pups and Cheza had one next to her resting her head on the maiden's lap. The last was attacking the sandy brown male's tail. Pulling at the furry piece of the wolf.

Tsume sighed and looked over to his mate who was lying in the river with her head on the shore, "Amber being a father is harder than I thought; aren't pups supposed to be easy to care for at this age?"

Amber smiled and giggled, "Well if you're parents are **Tsume** and Amber, I have a feeling that the kids will be just like us."

The gray male sighed and laid next to the white female, he grinned and looked over at her. She glanced at the male and saw the glint, "What are you thinking?"

"Do you want more?"

Amber raised her head and looked at the gray male, "Are you seriously asking? Cause until we get to paradise there is no way I'm have more babies out here, my mom said half of a litter will die before their first year."

"Well, if you're parents are Tsume and **Amber** I don't think you'd have to worry." Tsume said using her words against her.

The two looked at each other and stood, walking out of the river; they shook getting the water out of their fur. They walked back to the other. When they stepped through the brush they were 'attacked' by Hige, "Get them off of me!"

Tsume looked down at the wolf's tail and saw his daughter with a good grip; he looked at Amber who was suppressing a laugh. Tsume lowered his head and grabbed the young she- wolf by the scruff and pulled her off his friend.

"Ember, be nice to your babysitter," Amber said.

"Bu, mama? Ucle Hiei us oying me." the pup said in choppy grammar.

"What was he doing?" Tsume asked.

"Sweeping, weawy weawy woud. Hurt my ears," Ember said looking up at her dad.

"Hige, you can't sleep while watching the pups, what if something happened?" Amber asked looking around for the other three pups.

"I know, I'm sorry. Them pups are too energetic, I don't know how you two can put up with them this long," Hige said lowering to the ground.

Tsume looked to his mate and then lowered to Ember and picked her up and carried her to the cave, Toboe walked up to Amber with three pups following him.

One was black, his eyes were like his father's. A second one was a dusty brown male with green eyes, the third and last male was silver, like his sister. The two looked so much alike but they were completely different, while the male's eyes were bright blue, Ember's was a reddish amber color. But they were both silver, Amber smiled and sat watching the three. When they saw her the three males ran up and hopped on two legs, licking at her muzzle. Tsume walked out with Ember, the males turned and saw their dad and charged at him.

Amber smiled and walked up to her family, but then she noticed, "Hige where did Kiba and Cheza go?"

"I'm not sure, they were here a little bit ago." Hige said. Toboe looked at the two older wolves, "He and Cheza went off together, I don't know where or why."

Tsume growled and stood, "Amber I'll be back, listen to your mother. Hige let's go, Runt help Amber out."

"Don't need to tell me twice," Toboe said excitedly. Hige stood and walked after Tsume.

Amber watched the two leave, "Mama, why does ucle Kiba hae us?"

"He doesn't, he just wants to get going so we can find a new home. But we can't right now, after the winter we'll be able to move," she said looking down at her babies.

"Why can't we go now?" Dark asked.

"Because you four still need to get stronger, like your dad." Amber said.

The pups looked their mother and smiled, "After the winter we'll be like him?"

"No, you'll be more like Uncle Toboe. It's time for your naps," Amber said walking into the cave.

"Mama, we're too old for naps. We want to pay some more," Dustin whined.

Amber turned her head, "Your father and uncles take naps, and they're older then you."

The pups looked at each other and ran into the cave to their nest, hearing rustling of the bushes. The white female turned Toboe stepped next to the older she – wolf, "Stay with the kids, Amber."

"Toboe wait, you don't want to attack yet. You want to wait and see who it is first," Amber said.

Out of the bushes two old wolves walked out, one was brown and the other gray, but not her mate. Amber studied the two, the one she recognized was her mother.

"Mom?"

"Amber my sweetheart, how are you doing?" the old female said.

The gray male looked at the white female and looked to the wolf next to her, "Where's the male you ran off to?"

Amber stepped back, she looked at Toboe and he nodded and walked into the cave.

The three stood there and Amber stared at them, "He and the other two went out for awhile, older male stuff or something like that."

"MAMA! Sky and Dusty pulled my ears," Ember called walking out of the cave shaking her head.

The two older wolves looked down and saw the little pup, Dakota's eyes hardened. Amber stepped in front of her baby looking at her father.

"How many?" Wynonna asked.

Amber's eyes were connected with her father's when she answered. "Four, three males and one female."

"Damn it, Tsume let go of me. We've wasted enough time, it's time to leave."

Amber looked up and smiled, the older wolves looked over and saw the three wolves and a 'human'.

"What's this? You have a human with you?" Dakota asked.

"No, that is the flower maiden. She's helping us," Amber said looking down at her daughter who was staring at the two wolves.

"Mama, who are they?"

"We're your mother's parents, your grandma and grandpa," Wynonna said smiling.

"We are no such thing, my daughter was taking by a monster," Dakota said.

The three males stopped and saw the alphas of the River pack, Tsume walked up to his mate and daughter.

"YOU! HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE AROUND ME!" Dakota growled.

Ember hid behind her father's back foot, Toboe and the other three pups ran out hiding behind the mated pair. Dark stepped forward in front of his mother and growled at the wolves, Dakota bore his fangs and let out a menacing growl. All four pups hid behind their parents, whimpering.

"Warriors at my ready!" Dakota called out.

The small pack was surrounded, Amber's eyes widened. Tsume stood protectively in front of his family.

"Amber you're coming home with us, you will leave the pups and that that male," the older gray wolf growled.

Amber frowned, "Hige Toboe, take two of the pups. Tsume let's go."

The four wolves grabbed the four pups and Kiba walked off with Cheza, "Told you we shouldn't have stayed so long."

Amber looked over at the white male, her eyes were hard. Tsume looked back and saw that they were a good distance that the pups could now walk.

"Dad, why did you carry us?" Dusty asked.

Amber set Sky down, Hige let Dark go and Toboe put Ember down. Tsume lowered his head and set his son Dusty down.

"Just in case they tried something we could run with you four, in a few months you'll be able to keep up. For now we'll carry you," Tsume said looking at his kids.

Toboe looked back, kept an eye out for trouble. Hige too, they would not let anything harm the pups.

"This one feels Amber's sadness," Cheza said.

Tsume looked over at his mate and saw that she had a hurt look, "Am, I'm sorry…"

"No, it's not your fault. I knew my father would try something, my mom came to see how we're doing. It just hurts that dad would say things like that around the pups; how could he. They did the same thing we did, though dad didn't have to leave." Amber said looking down at her babies.

All four pups walked up and rubbed their mother's legs, Tsume stood at her side and draped his head over her shoulders. He didn't know what to say to Amber, but he hoped that him embracing her like this; he hoped this was helping.

"Alright, let's keep moving. We're sitting ducks here," Kiba said impatiently.

Tsume and his family started walking, Hige and Toboe were at their sides helping with the pups. Amber had Sky and Dark in front of her, while Tsume had Dusty and Ember on either side of him.

"Mama, I'm tired. Can you carry me?" Sky asked.

"Yeah me too," Dusty called out.

Amber lifted Sky on to her back and carried Dusty in her jaw, the other two pups were slowing down so Tsume did the same and carried his pups.

"Kiba, this one would like to rest awhile," Cheza said.

The white male nodded, and looked back, "We'll stay in that clearing for the night."

Tsume glared at the male, he set Dark down and lowered his back side letting Ember slide down his back. Taking Sky from Amber's back he put the pup on the ground and Amber laid Dusty on the ground.

"Tsume could you go hunt," Kiba asked.

The gray male looked at the white male, "Are you blind? Can't you see that I have pups and can't go hunting. Toboe, you remember how to catch a deer right?"

"Yeah, you… you want me to go hunting?" the older pup asked.

Tsume nodded, "Yeah, don't just try for a buck get whatever you can."

Toboe nodded and ran off in search of game, Hige shook his head, "That kid has a lot of energy too."

The pups laughed and ran up to the chubby wolf, "Uncle Hige, play play."

Amber laughed and went under a tree and laid in the shade, her head between her front paws. Dark walked up and looked at his mom, "Are you okay mama?"

"I'm fine, I haven't had my nap yet; so I'm a little tired," Amber said.

The little black pup lied at his mom's side and looked at her, "I'll protect you while you sleep."

"Thank you, why don't you go get the others and we all could take a nap," Amber said.

Dark got up and ran to his brothers and sister, they all came running and laid next to their mother, "Love you mom."

Amber smiled, "Love you all too."

Tsume looked over and saw his mate and pups sleeping, he was talking to Kiba so the white male followed the older male's gaze to the female and pups. "Tsume we can stay too long, we have to continue on. I have a feeling that we're almost there," Kiba said looking at the older male.

The gray wolf turned to the white male, "We'd stay if Cheza wanted to, so why is it so wrong to rest awhile when we have four one month old pups. I don't understand what your problem is with my kids."

"Tsume it puts us in a dangerous position, what if the wolf hunter and his dog find us. Or Amber's father, you know we couldn't fight them off with the pups," Kiba said.

"So what do you want to do with the kids?" the scarred male asked. "We're not abandoning them, nor am I killing them."

"I think it's best if you found them a better home and leave them," Kiba said.

Tsume jumped and tackled the younger wolf growling, "You'd do that with Cheza, you love the flower maiden as much as I love my family. I would never leave them behind, you should understand among anyone else."

Amber woke up to the loud thud, looking around she saw the two males fighting; looking to her babies she saw that all four were also awake. Cowering behind her tail, Standing she ran up to Kiba and tried pulling him off her mate. The white male turned taking the white female's paw and throwing her into a tree. Tsume looked up, turning to his female his eyes widened. Kiba charged and Tsume rose on his hind legs and brought the young male down, "Hige hold Kiba down."

"Right," the sandy brown wolf replied.

Amber rolled to her belly and looked at the ground; she winced in pain when her back leg started throbbing.

"MAMA!!!" Four small voices cried.

Looking up she saw her family running up, Tsume stood behind the pups his eyes were full of anger and concern. She sat up holding her breath; Tsume stepped over the pups checking the female over. He saw blood on Amber's back leg, golden eyes narrowed. He stood up straight, "Kiba I'm taking over leading, Cheza could you allow me that?"

"This one will allow you to lead, shall this one help Amber?" Cheza answered.

"Yeah, Hige keep an eye on him. Kids stay away from Kiba awhile," Tsume said looking towards the ground.

Toboe came walking back with two female deer, looking around he saw Tsume standing near Amber with Cheza who was healing the she – wolf, "What did I miss?"

"Unle Kiba hurt mama," Dusty said.

"Why, what happened?" Toboe looked at Tsume.

"Kiba wants me to leave the pups somewhere; I took over leading us to paradise." Tsume said glancing at the rusty color wolf.

Hige looked at the food the younger wolf brought, "Wow, Toboe did you hunt both of those?"

Looking at the deer, "Yeah, I targeted this one, and the other came at me. I just attacked and killed it, so we have enough food for a while."

Tsume walked up and smirked, "I tough you well, kid."

Toboe looked up at his idol and smiled, it had been awhile since the gray male complemented him. "Thanks Tsume."

Amber walked up and stood at her mate's side looking at the young male, she smiled and licked Toboe's cheek, "You're growing so fast, I remember when Tsume said you were the most clumsy member of the pack."

Toboe lowered his head in embarrassment, "Yeah, I guess I grew out of that."

"Mama, what is that?" Dark asked.

Amber looked down and smiled, "Food."

The pups looked up at their parents, "What kind of food?"

"Tsume you get to eat first since you're the leader now," Hige said.

"Take a deer, there's plenty," Toboe said.

"Tsume shook his head, even if I'm the leader, it's Toboe who eat first."

"No it's okay Tsume, you eat first," Toboe said.

Amber smiled and grabbed the smallest doe; she dragged it under a tree and lied at the belly. Tsume walked up and stared at the female animal he was about to eat, Tsume ripped into the side and pulled off a good size chunk and chewed.

Amber started eating and the pups sniffed at the funny looking creature, Tsume pulled off another chunk and dropped it next to the pups. They backed up looking at the gray male, "Do we have to?"

"You want to grow up strong don't you?" Tsume asked.

The pups nodded and Tsume pushed the meat closer to the young wolves, "Then eat."

Ember was the first one to grab the meat, as hard as she pulled. She couldn't get a piece of the tough meat.

Amber pushed her pups away from the tough piece of meat and pulled some of the stomach, laying it in front of the pups she looked at Tsume who stared at her.

"They can't eat tough things yet, they're still pups," Amber said with a know it all look.

Tsume rolled his eyes and continued eating, by the time they were all done. It was late and the pups started yawning.

Both mom and dad lied under another tree, pups nestled between the two older wolves. Amber licked two of the pups, the two that were closer to her. Tsume did the same to the two pups closer to him.

The mated pair laid their heads down and closed their eyes, the sound of paw walking up to them. Tsume's head shot up and looked at the white male; Amber looked up and saw the male. Tsume half stood the fur on his back stood and his tail stood straight up, "What do you want Kiba?"

"I'm sorry, Amber. Tsume I'd like the leadership back," Kiba said.

Tsume stood all the way; he stared down at the male, "Kiba you have to earn it back, this power trip of yours is going to end. Until you prove you can control yourself, you're not getting leadership back. Frankly I'd rather get to paradise more alive than dead, the way you had us going we were going to die."

The white male looked down, seeing Amber with her four pups. One looked up at the male, his golden eyes stared up. Kiba turned to a tree he laid under, he walked away and went back to sleep.

Tsume lowered back down and lied his head between his paws, "Tsume what's wrong?"

He looked over at the white she – wolf, "Nothing, get some sleep we move tomorrow."


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter Eight_

_The move with Tsume at the head_

It was early when the pack woke up, the pups were groggy. Mom was watching the four as they walked behind their dad, "Tsume look at your pups, they're out of it."

The gray male turned his head and looked at his kids, "Attack Hige!"

The four perked up and charged at the fluffy wolf, "Tsume! You jerk!"

Amber giggled and walked next to her gray male, she rubbed her head against his neck and shoulder. "Are you going to get a big head like Kiba?"

"No, I know how to lead. I led a gang of humans on raids against noble vehicles," Tsume said keeping his head forward.

Amber looked at her mate, "Humans? You mean two legged creatures that love to shoot at us?"

Tsume looked at his female inwardly smirking at the way she said that, "Yeah, at first they fallowed me until one fell. They blame me for it; I let my guard down for an instant. He was no older then the runt was; I blamed myself for it."

"It wasn't your fault the human didn't understand what you were doing, we have a heavy burden to bear. We can't be expected to hold our cover every second of the day, most of our kind won't harm a human unless they come to close to their mates and pups. I know you regret a lot, but please; if you need to get something off your chest know that you can come to me," Amber said licking Tsume's cheek.

"Mama, look! Ucle Hiei's paying dead," Sky called.

The mated pair looked back and saw Hige on his side eyes closed, Tsume shook his head. "Hige a wild pig ran by."

The sandy color wolf jumped up looking around, the pups rolling on the ground laughing, "That's funny, ucle Hiei jumped for a piggy."

"And that my kids; is a wolf who is driven by food," the pups' mother said laughing at the fluffy male.

Hige looked at the two and frowned, "Ha-ha, very funny."

Kiba walked up to Tsume who watched the pups tugging on the sandy wolf's tail, "Tsume, can we keep going?"

"We'll get there Kiba, let the kids have some fun. You have Hige's nose and my ears, we'll sense danger if it comes," Tsume said.

Kiba looked back, Ski and Ember tugged on Hige's ears and Dark and Dustin pulled at the older wolf's tail. The pups were having so much fun when Hige lifted his head.

Tsume ears perked, the pups ran behind their mother looking from behind and under her. Tsume stood in front of the pack listening, "Dad what is it?"

"Shh, let your father listen," Amber said.

"Hey, it's the hunter," Hige said.

Tsume looked at the pups and then to both Hige and Toboe, "Take two, Amber. Kiba take Cheza."

Amber grabbed Dark and started running, the others following, Tsume grabbed sky and looked back at the hunter and his black female dog.

The human stopped and pulled his gun from his overcoat pointing at the wolves, Tsume's eyes widened Sky looked at the creature that looks like his mother.

Hearing the strain of a spring, Tsume knew the old man cocked the weapon, the male turned and started running as the old man started shooting.

"Dad, what's that? Why is he attacking us?" Sky asked.

"That human is a wolf hunter, he will kill us if we don't run. Sky you and your brothers and sister are not allowed to leave your mother's or my side, do you understand?" Tsume asked with his pup in his mouth.

BARK

BARK

Tsume glanced back and saw the dog chasing after them, "Damn it!"

Jumping on top a high rock he set down his son, "Stay here, I'll be back as soon as I can."

Tsume looked down seeing the two following him coming toward them.

"What are you going to do, Dad?" Sky asked with a shaky voice.

The gray male howled, letting his pack know that Sky was on the rock.

"Dad, don't go; what if the two legged animal takes me," the silver male pup begged shaking in fear.

Tsume lowered his lead to his son, "Sky, every father will do anything to protect his family, even humans. I have a pack that I have to protect, I'll catch up to you as soon as I can." The gray male ran his tongue over the silver pup's head and back a sign of affection.

Sky lowered to the rock so the hunter of the dog can't see him, Tsume turned and jumped. The dog stopped and growled, the gray wolf glaring at the black she – dog.

"BLUE!" the human called.

Tsume took off through the bushes both hunter and dog following.

Amber left Dark with Hige and ran to where Tsume left their son, she jumped and saw Sky curled in a ball eyes closed tightly.

"Sky, are you alright?" the white she – wolf asked in a soft tone.

The male pup looked up and saw his mother, jumping to his feet he ran up and hid under the female's belly shivering, "Dad's being chased by the hunter, get someone to help him."

Amber lowered her head and pulled her son out from under, "Don't worry, your dad and uncles been cased many times before by the hunter. He won't be hurt too badly."

The two went back to the pack and waited for the gray male to come back, the pups sat with their mother watching out for their dad, "Mama, why hasn't Papa come back yet?"

"He's leading the hunter away, that way we can travel safely. He'll be along soon," Amber said answering her babies.

It was very late, the four wolf cubs fell asleep at their mother's paws. Toboe, Hige, Kiba, and Cheza were under a tree sleeping as well, Amber couldn't sleep; she was extremely worried about her mate. Looking down at her babies she sighed and looked back up waiting for the two tone gray male to walk up.

There was a rustling in the bushes, Amber stood up and stepped over the pups. The fur on her back stood, her head lowered and she stood in defense. A dark figure stepped out and Amber's ears perked and tail started wagging, "Tsume."

The gray male looked up and met the gaze of his female; the white female ran up and rubbed against him affectionately; lovingly.

Amber's eyes were moistened with relieve, "I was so worried, so were the pups. What happened?"

Tsume licked amber's muzzle, "They wouldn't stop trailing me, they followed me for miles."

Amber looked at the male; she moved her head under his, "So how did you get away?"

"Water is not only great for drinking, but it's good to lose hunters in." the two turned and saw Hige sitting up.

The older wolves sat up and saw Tsume who looked worn out, Kiba stood and walked up, "Are you okay?"

Tsume nodded looking to his pups, one looked up and he walked past the older wolves; the pup stood and walked up to his dad.

"Sky, are you okay?" the gray male asked sounding strained but also relieved that his pack and family were alright.

The silver male pup ran to his father's front paws rubbing them. The older wolf felt something wet drip on his paw, Tsume looked down at his son and lowered to the ground to where Sky was crying into Tsume's light gray chest.

Amber looked over a sad smile formed, she walked up and stood to the side; "Tsume…"

The older male nodded, "Sky, come with me. Amber we'll be back."

The white she – wolf smiled and watched the two walk away; Amber went to the other three and lied around them. Dark nestled closer to his mother, laying her head down Amber sighed smiling to her family.

Amber lied with her pups, her head covering the pups from the wind that was building. She dozed off and felt something rest on her shoulders, she was able to smell her mate's scent; which to her was very comforting.

It was early the next morning; Amber woke to a sudden shiver. Opening her eyes and raised her head, the first sign of winter that was on its way. The white she – wolf looked at her pack; Cheza was sitting against a tree with Kiba curled around the flower maiden. Hige was on the other side of the pink haired girl, Toboe was with the young pups; tail covering his nose.

Amber turned to Tsume and touched nose to cheek, golden amber eyes opened looking at the amber green orbs of his mate, "Are you okay, Amber?" He asked lifting his large head.

"Winter is drawing near, we need to get the kids somewhere warm," Amber said looking over to the small wolf cubs.

The gray male lifted his head and looked to the trees which had a slight whiteness to them, "We'll leave soon, let the others rest a little bit longer."

Amber nodded and laid her head on Tsume's paws, the gray wolf grinned lowering his head on to Amber's hunches. The two slept a little longer, they were woken up by their four pups.

"MAMA PAPA, LOOK THE GRASS IS GONE!" Dustin shouted.

All the older wolves woke up and looked around, Amber stood and shook white powder off her fur smiling at her children, "It's not gone, it's almost winter. Don't worry the grass will be back."

"When, I don't like this white stuff. It's super cold," Ember said lifting her paws high as she walked.

Sky and Dustin roll around in the white fluffy stuff on the ground, Dark glared at the cold wet substance on the ground.

Toboe got up and walked up to the black pup and looked down at him, "Is something wrong Dark?"

Eyes that resemble the father's looked up at the rusty color wolf, "What is this stuff, why does it cover everything in white?"

Toboe tilted his head and thought, "It's called snow, it's frozen water or cause it comes from the sky it's frozen rain. Snow is… to be honest I don't know why it covers the world, it just does."

Dark frowned; he walked over to his parents slipping a few times.

Tsume walked over to Cheza, he needed to know if because the snow is very early that the world was ending like in the stories every wolf in the wolf heard.

"Mom, when are we going to find a warmer dryer place?" Dark asked.

"Soon, once your father finishes talking to Cheza." Amber said licking her son's head.

The pack didn't know that there was a river behind some bushes, let alone an ice covered river. Everyone turned hearing a loud cry, Amber looked around seeing Dustin playing with Hige, Dark was next to her but she didn't see Sky or Ember.

The white she – wolf ran towards where she heard the cry, jumping through the bushes Amber looked on to the ice and saw her twins slipping on the thin sheet of frozen water.

"Hold on you two, stay still! TSUME! COME QUICK!" the white she – wolf called.

The whole pack came running and Tsume stood head held high looking out on to the ice, his eyes widened in fear. His pups were out on ice that was ready to break and swallow up the two sliver twins.

Analyzing the ice the male jumped on to the ice and ran for the two, Tsume stopped hearing cracking. "Ember Sky hold still, let the ice calm."

The two pups froze and eyes on their father, "Dad I'm scared." Both pups said at the same time.

"I know, hold on," Tsume said walking as fast as he could without disturbing the cracks in the frozen water's surface.

From under the gray male's paws the ice caves and he fell through, "TSUME!"

"DAD!" all four wolf cubs cried.

The two silver pups watched as their father became trapped under the frozen water, "MAMA!"

A large black blur ran across the frozen river grabbing the two pups and made its way to the others. Amber waited anxiously for her pups, but also for her mate to burst through the ice.

Ember and Sky were released and they ran up to their mother and brothers, Amber nuzzled them then walked to the edge of the ice looking through the trying to see Tsume's gray form. Amber's amber - green orbs ran across the river in a panic looking for her male, "Tsume, come on… come up."

In the middle a burst of ice and water caught ten pairs of eyes, a gray head was spotted. The gray wolf climbed up and made his way to the snow covered land, shaking the water and ice from his fur; Tsume shivered lowering to the ground staring straight ahead.

The four pups ran up to the male and started rubbing against his body, Amber walked up moving the pups a bit so she could laid on the gray wolf's body.

Everyone walked up seeing if the lead wolf was alright, eyes became blurry. Shivering got worst and more violent, Amber's head laid next to her mate's and she licked ever inch of his face trying to warm him up.

"Tsume hang in there, we'll start a fire." Hige said running around getting fire wood.

Toboe dug the snow away from the ground, Kiba stood back watching as everyone tried to help warm the gray male up.

Cheza walked up and placed her hands on the gray wolf's body, "This one will help too."

"Amber, who saved the twins?" Tsume asked shaking violently.

The white female looked over to the black wolf with striking blue eyes, amber - green orbs widened; "The hunter's dog."

The gray male lifted his head looking up at the dog, sitting up Tsume stared at the black female.

"Where's your human?" he asked.

"I left him; I saw them and felt it wrong to kill you and your pack. I'm sorry for chasing after you all this time, um. Wasn't the white guy the leader or whatever you called it?" the black female asked.

"Was but I took over, pack issues. Now who are you?" Tsume said standing on frozen paws getting a pins and needles feeling.

"My name is Blue," she said.

Amber smiled, she rubbed against the gray male's body, "Can she join? It'd be nice to have another female around."

Blue looked at the white she – wolf and smiled; looking at the male she saw total and undying love. The male would do anything for his mate, and when he looked at her; he sighed.

"I guess she could, as long as she doesn't slow us down it's…" he was interrupted by his four pups rubbing against his forelegs.

"We're sorry dad, we didn't mean to get you hurt," Sky and Ember said.

Amber looked down and gave an understanding look, looking at her mate she rubbed against. "We should move on, night will fall soon," Kiba said looking at the gray male.

Tsume looked at the white male and nodded, "Think there's a cave around here, come on. We'll make a fire over there; don't worry about starting that one. Just grab the wood."

The pack walked on looking for a cave or something to get out of the cold and into something warm, Tsume walked slower and his eyes were getting blurry. Amber frowned in worry, "Love, maybe we should just dig under the snow."

Tsume turned to his mate and shook his head, "No there's a cave right up there, it's not too far."

Amber understood what he was trying to do, their pups were with them. And Tsume was trying to be strong for them, but what he was doing was being stupid. The gray male started stumbling like he was drunk, Amber moved right up against his body stabilizing him. The pack made it to the cave and both Hige and Toboe started the fire inside the cave where Tsume lowered to the ground, with his kids around him.

The pack laid around Tsume helping him warm up, Hige was the closest since he was the biggest Amber thought it'd make since that he'd lay there.

Amber didn't sleep that night; she stayed up watching her love, making sure that he was alright. She felt eyes on her, turning she saw Blue looking at her head tilted.

"He'll be fine, I've attacked him so many times and every time I see him running and attacking. Don't worry so much," Blue said watching Amber watch the gray male.

The white she – wolf looked at the black dog then back to her mate, "I know, but I can't help but worry. Awhile ago my father found out that Tsume and I had become mates and chased him out, the ironic thing is; my mother and father did the same thing. My mom let me go and I found that gray jerk, I don't know what I'd do without him. Tsume and our kids… they're my light, when my dad chased Tsume away I was lost in a dark world and ever since I found him my world became bright again."

Blue looked at Amber and smiled, "That's the sweetest thing I've ever heard, wonder if I'd feel that way when I find the right male."

Amber smiled and felt a small head rub against her side, looking she saw Dark, "What's wrong Dark?"

"I got to go," the black pup said with urgency in his voice.

The she – wolf stood and walked out with her son following at her heels, Blue tagged along and the two females talked as Dark ran into the bushes.

"So how did you and Tsume meet?" Blue asked.

Amber smiled and giggled, "That is the funniest story, my pack was the Mountain clan. Our territory was on the edge with the River clan; my pack was growing and didn't have much water. So my father asked the River clan if it was possible to merge the two packs, the only way that'd happen is if I mated with the leader. By then Tsume and the others were staying with us, the leader of the River clan killed General my bodyguard and my uncle. I ran in blindly and Tsume stopped me only for him to attack the male."

Blue looked at the white she – wolf, "That's not that funny but it is sweet, you tamed the wild gray male."

Amber watched at her black pup walked up and looked up at his mother, "Mama, was dad always like the way he is now?"

Amber smiled at the thought, she looked down and smiled, "No, your father was quite the hard head. Meaning he was the kind of male to do as he pleased without thinking."


	9. A Dad's Realization

Chapter Nine

A Dad's Realization

Amber Blue and Dark walked back to the den, Dark went back to his spot near his siblings. Blue and Amber laid together talking quietly about how their lives were, and how it all changed meeting the males and the flower maiden.

A part of hard amber eyes opened and looked around, his friends Hige Toboe and Kiba were all around him. His body was stiff as he stood; he stood and stretched his tired aching muscles.

His eyes drifted around searching for a pure white she-wolf, amber eyes found her talking to the new member. The bitch that chased after the four for so long, Amber laughed and her smile was from ear to ear.

Amber's amber green orbs looked over and saw the gray male staring at her; she smiled; said something and stood. Long white legs guided their owner in front of the male, her head dipped slightly and rubbed under his chin against his chest.

"How are you feeling love, the others used their body heat to warm you."

"I've noticed, I'm fine. How is everyone? You and the kids?"Tsume asked looking around.

Amber looked at the pack, "Hige Kiba and Toboe were worried, Hige thought you wouldn't wake up. Toboe took care of the hunting, and Kiba complained about how we were just sitting around doing nothing. The pups took turns licking you're still frozen face, Tsume you've been out for a few days. I was so worried about you."

Tsume's amber orbs widened, "How long is a few days?"

"A week and a half."

"WHAT!?"

The whole cave woke up, looking around to see what was going on. The pups looked up seeing their parents talking, and the older ones knew Amber told Tsume how long they've been sitting around.

"Calm down, love. Everything is fine, you're better. We can leave in the morning, but right now it's time for bed. Though I don't think you're going to be able to sleep right now, but I may have a way to help with that," Amber said looking at the gray leader.

"Amber why hasn't anyone tried to wake me up?" Tsume asked.

"We did love, nothing worked. I just decided to let you sleep and heal, that's what you needed. What your body needed," the white she – wolf said rubbing against the gray muscular body.

Tsume's and Amber's pups walked up and licked their parents' paws, "We're sorry papa, if Sky and I didn't go off on our own you won't be hurt."

A pair of amber eyes looked down and saw the reddish eyes stare up at him, he lowered his head and licked his daughter, "You two didn't do anything your mother nor I haven't done, I'm not pi… mad at you or your brothers. Now Ember, Sky, Dark, and Dusty, time for bed. Go lay with Toboe, your mom and I are going out for a bit."

"K!"

"Where are you going?"

"Why can't we come?"

Amber smiled, "Because it's way passed your bedtime and your father and I are going to do boring grown up stuff. We'll be back shortly."

"AWWW." The pups whined.

Tsume and Amber smiled walking out of the cave; they were heading for a river that almost took Tsume's life.

The two sat beside the frozen water, Amber's amber green eyes stared out into the distance. Tsume's golden eyes drifted to the she – wolf next to him.

"Amber how have you been since I was out?" he asked.

Amber looked over and smiled, "Tired, had no idea that being alpha was so tiring. Also I've missed talking to you at night when I couldn't sleep, Tsume I love you."

"I'm sorry Amber, I must be getting old, weak, or something. Before something like that wouldn't have affected me like that," Tsume said looking out over the solid ice.

Amber looked at him as if considering, then she grinned, the moon flashing against her teeth. "Well you do have gray hair." She told him. The look Tsume gave her made her huff a laugh. He looked so offended so she sighed and laid her head against Tsume's neck. "Stupid," she said, "You're not getting old, you're not weak, or anything else. It's the way we've been… you've been traveling. Tsume you are the strongest male that I know."

The corners of the gray male's lips curved up slightly, "Right."

The white she – wolf looked at the male; he looked at her their muzzles got closer and closer until they touched.

A white muzzle rubbed against a light gray one lovingly, "Tsume, I love you."

"I love you too, Amber. Sleep with me tonight," Tsume said licking the side of the female's face.

"Tsume, I sleep with you every night. What makes you think tonight will be any different?" Amber said knowing exactly what Tsume meant.

"Amber," Tsume growled.

The white she – wolf giggled, "Tsume." She mocked.

The male stood and pushed the female over, standing over her the male's lips were pulled back in a smile, "Sleep with me, and you know exactly what I mean."

Amber sigh, she reached up with her paw pulling his head down. Licking his face, the two stared at each other with love in their eyes. Something that Tsume only showed to his mate and kids.

The two walked back to the den sight, walking into the den.

Kiba looked up eyeing the two, "You were gone awhile, what were you guys doing?"

The mate pair smiled, "You're too young to know Kiba, you'll know in a couple of years."

The white male stood glaring at the two, "I'm not that young Amber, I'm old enough. Now what did you do?"

Tsume ignored the you male and walked with his mate over to their kids; they laid around the four licking each one's head.

Pride swelled inside the male's chest, seeing his female and his four young pups made him smile. But now he looked around the cave seeing his friends, now his pack; he sighed. Why did he even take it? This wasn't what he wanted, but the way Kiba acted. Tsume had no chose but to take the leadership, now they were sitting around asking to get attacked.

"Kiba, are you awake," Tsume asked walking up to the young male.

"What is it?" the white male asked.

"We leave at first light, be ready to move the pack," Tsume said.

Kiba looked up, "What are you talking about, why am I moving them?"

The gray male smirked, "Cause, in every pack there's a second in command. I want you to be my second, even in that gang of humans I had a second."

Looking down the young white male nodded, "Alright, get some rest I'll get you up before the first light."

Tsume nodded and walked back to his family, he lowered to the ground and looked at his mate who had one eye open looking at him with a smile.

She turned her head inward around the young wolves she gave birth to, sighing Tsume did the same. With his head close to hers.

Feeling someone nudging his shoulder, golden eyes opened seeing Kiba standing there, "What is it."

"Time to get up, it's almost to go." Kiba said walking to the other wolves.

Tsume lifted his head and let out a yawn that looked like it would have broken his face, "Amber wake up, we're heading out."

Amber green eyes opened, she looked over at her mate smiling. She raised her head and looked at him, "Come on kids, it's time get up. We're leaving."

Four pairs of eyes looked up at their mother; two of the pups sat up and yawned.

Amber stood and shook the dirt out of her snow color fur; she lowered her head and licked her pups waking them up.

Tsume walked up to see if his pack and family were awake, "Come I got food for us."

Four little wolves ran out passed their father, Tsume watched. He felt something rub against his neck, when he looked he found his mate's amber green eyes staring into his.

The two walked out seeing the pack eating; Tsume looked up over his head. The top of the cave had a ledge, walking around; he found a path that led up. "Go eat I'm going to check the surrounding area."

Amber nodded, watching the gray male walked up the path. She walked up to the rest of the pack and started eating; she pulled off a chunk of meat and set it beside her saving it for the alpha male.

Hige saw the meat and went to eat it when he heard a deep growl, "Not yours, Hige."

The sandy color male backed away with tears in his eyes, Amber looked back at the top of the cave. Seeing Tsume with his amber eyes looking around, tail out straight and ears perked. The male looked even more sexy in the female's eyes.

Grabbing the chunk of meat, the she – wolf walked up the path up to the male. Setting it down she looked at him, "Love, you should eat as well. You need to build more strength."

The male glance over to the female, "Thanks."

Tsume lowered his head and tore into the meat, eating the raw food.

Amber looked around; she saw two silhouettes in the distances. Looking down at her mate eating her had to be silent, nudging his side. Tsume looked up with a questioning look, fallowing her gaze. Tsume saw the dark figures, he pushed Amber towards the path, she ran down and he jumped down the face. Lifting his head he sniffed the air, the older wolves knew that the silence meant something was wrong.

The white she – wolf, ran up and stood over her babies. They looked up seeing the look of fear in their mother's eyes.

The scent got closer and Tsume moved everyone around his family, Blue stood next to Amber protecting the pups.

The males tensed as the figures came into view, Amber sighed in relief seeing as it was her parents.

Tsume lowered his head slightly, his tail was no longer straight up, "You two are persistent, what do you want now?"

"Our daughter, male hand her over." Dakota ordered.

Tsume's head snapped up he started growling, "Amber set him straight, guys watch the pups. Follow us."

The two older wolves fallowed their daughter and her mate, the older gray male was glaring at the young male with a murderous look. Amber glanced back at her father, seeing this, the white she – wolf rubbed against her mate.

Tsume looked to the side at the female; he felt the old wolf's eyes burning into his back.

"Dakota, I love your daughter. I would rather die than to leave her, she is not only the female I love, or my mate, but she is also the mother of my young. And taking her from them would and will be heartless; I thought a father's wish for his kids to be happy. Amber is happy being with me, the pack and our pups." Tsume said turning to the wolves.

Amber turned as well, seeing her mother who was very happy for the young couple. "Papa, you and mother did the same thing. Her parents let you stay and have the next generation. Me, I fell in love with Tsume became his mate, had his babies. Now we're alphas and are leading our pack to paradise, now if you both will excuse us. We'd like to get back to our new family."

Amber looked at Tsume with pleading eyes, "Let's go, we have a long journey ahead of us."

"Amber I don't want this life for you; I found you a great male that will treat you right. Moving around is not a life. Come home and we'll forget this, all of this," Dakota said stepping forth.

Amber didn't move from where she was, looking at her father with wide shocked eyes, "How dare you even suggest that, Tsume is my mate. He and I are parents; I can't just forget and mate with another. Not that I would, I love Tsume and our pups with every fiber of my being. If you can't except that then… then you can leave, I will never ever leave my family for some other male."

Tsume looked at the female who refused to do as her father said, which to him was great. The she – wolf was in fact the one he fell in love with.

The older wolves looked at the white female, Wynonna looked at her mate, "Dakota, is this what my parents did?"

The old male looked at the brown female, shaking his head no. "Wynonna, this is our daughter."

"Who is old enough to find her own mate, which she did. You told her to find one, the males in the pack were of no interest to her. Yes a pack of young males just so happened to come by and asked to stay, Amber started developing a strong like for the young gray male. When your daughter finally came to her senses she acted and the two mated, your daughter did the one thing everyone told her to do. She did however, did not choose a pack member. She chose Tsume, the rouge male that came to our pack asking for a place to rest. With a young male who clearly like Amber, Tsume is a family oriented male who took that pup under his care and when he finally accepted the fact that he was in love with our daughter. He acted on it and took her and his lover, like you and I did." Wynonna said.

Amber smiled at her mother, she looked at Tsume who glanced at her from the side. She saw the truth in his eyes, the truth that told the young mother that everything she was hearing was in fact the truth.

A white head moved under a gray one, Tsume rested his on hers eyes closed content with his female leaning against his chest. The older couple looked over seeing the two, "Dakota, doesn't that male… Tsume, doesn't he take you as the type that does not or will not openly show his affection? But our daughter has him lowering his guard which is hard for him, knowing that there is another male here trying to take his love away."

The older gray male looked at his mate, then to the young couple. He sighed, "Amber, I just want what's best for you. I just want to see you happy, and if this male… if Tsume makes you happy, then I guess I have no choice but to let you two be. You male better take care of my baby."

Eyes of hard raw amber opened looking at the old male, "Dakota, you don't have to worry about Amber. The pack and I won't let anything happen to her, or to our pups."

Looking at his female, back up to the older couple, "Would you like to meet them?"

Amber's gold – green orbs snapped opened, moving away to look into the male's golden eyes. She smiled, turning to her parents wondering what they'd say.

Wynonna looked at the two young wolves with a large grin, "Dakota, let's meet our grandbabies."

The old male nodded, "We would like that, please allow us to see the young wolves you two have created."

Amber smiled up at her mate, the two led back to the pack. Who were anxiously waiting for their leading pair.

Ember, Dark, Dusty, and Sky were huddled beside Toboe. Staring in the direction their mother and father went with the older wolves, "Uncle Toboe, when will mama and papa come back?"

"They should be here any minute, watch they'll be walking though those trees in three… two… one." Toboe said.

As he said one four figures walked into the area, the pups looked up at their babysitter in awe. Toboe looked down smiling, "See told you."

Kiba saw the older wolves and gave confused look, "Tsume?"

Stopping with his mate and her parents, Tsume looked at the old couple.

"Pups come over here, your mother and I want you to meet a couple of wolves," Tsume said turning to the four six month old wolf cub.

Sky and Ember were the first to run up, Dark and Dusty were a little more hesitant. Amber smiled and nodded reassuring her boys, they stood between their parents' legs staring up at the older wolves.

"Kids these two are your grandparents, my mother and father." Amber said looking down at the four.

Wynonna looked at them, "My aren't they just precious, they have your eyes. Dakota look two silver, a black, and a light brown. Amber Tsume they are adorable."

Tsume was proud, he looked over at the pack he turned and walked up, "They're Amber's parents, Dakota finally realized that Amber is a grown female."

"So it's okay for them to see the pups?" Hige asked.

Tsume looked over, seeing the older wolves interacting with his kids. Something didn't sit right with him, he turned and walked up the older wolves.

"Dakota, why are you both here? Shouldn't you be with your pack?" Tsume asked.

"Don't worry, they're fine. Kite is watching things while we're out here, he's now in line for alpha," Dakota said looking up from the pups.

Amber turned away, "Dad I'm sorry, I know you wanted me to take over but it's not for me. Tsume's just standing in, because Kiba was getting a big head. Which, clouds judgment."

"Don't worry none Amber, you found your home and we'll respect that. We are so proud of you sweetheart. Well we should be going, the pack needs their leaders. Bye for now," Wynonna said turning with her mate and left for their own ever growing pack.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Tsume got the pack to move again, and Kiba felt better. His hard golden eyes watched the surrounding area, but they also kept a close watch on his family.

"Hey Tsume, something's wrong with Amber or the pups." Blue said from the left of him.

Tsume came to a dead stop and looked back, seeing Amber nudging their young light brown male. He turned and walked up, "What's wrong?"

"Papa, my stomach hurts. And I'm tired," Dusty said looking up at his dad.

The new leader of the pack nodded once, he lifted his head and turned to the others. "We're going to take a short break; we'll keep going after we find food and rest up a bit."

The others nodded, Blue sat with Amber who licked the heads of her brood who were cuddled up against her side.

Tsume walked back with a large bull moose, Kiba came up with him. Tsume didn't look at all happy, but he did his best to conceal it.

Amber noticed and smiled, "Um Blue could you watched the pups for a little while?"

Blue looked at her new friend, her leader, "Um sure, yeah I'll watch them."

Amber smiled at the black she – wolf, she walked up to her mate who was setting down the bull.

Lifting his head he looked over, "Amber what are you doing?"

"Come with me, I need you expert advice." Amber said rubbing her head against his neck.

Tilting his head, Tsume looked at the white she – wolf. "We'll be back Kiba, you all eat."

Amber led the male away, she heard him take a sigh of relief. She turned looking at him in the eyes.

"Tsume what's wrong? I'm worried, you're not yourself." Amber said.

"Just tired, didn't know I'd be happier to be without the responsibilities of being a leader. I maybe leading my own kind but it's no different than leading the gang of humans. Think I'm just tired of worrying about the others," Tsume said yawning.

"I know, maybe we should just take a few days and just rest. Let the others do their own thing, give yourself some time for your being have time to its self." Amber said.

Tsume lowered to the ground, he rolled to his back and stretched. "Sounds good to me, but I think I know another way you can help with that."

Amber smiled, "Ah, but that would only tire you out more. That's a date for another time."

The white she – wolf laid above his head, his eyes were closed and with the slow breathing Amber found him to be asleep, "Sweet dreams my love."

An hour went by and the other members of the pack came walking up, Kiba, Hige, Toboe, and Blue were carrying the four young wolves. Amber lifted her head and smiled, "Sorry, he fell asleep. I didn't want to wake him up."

The others understood and laid the mated couples' pups next to their parents, then they all lied around the pair and fell asleep.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Big Time Skip

Tsume had Kiba and Cheza with him, Amber was with the others waiting for them to come back and inform them of their game plan.

Sky, Ember, Dark, and Dusty were a little shorter then Toboe, who reached just below the adult ears. The pups played wrestle nipping and pawing at each other, Hige was amazed that the once tail pulling heel biting puppies were now two thirds his size and practicing their fighting.

Tsume walked back and looked at his kids, "Let's get moving, Cheza says she can scents Paradise."

Amber nodded she walked up and licked the gray male's cheek, "Come on kids, it's time to move. We're almost there."

The four juvenile wolves ran up to their parent, ready to continue their adventures. Sky walked next to his father's right side, "Hey dad, what's paradise like?"

Tsume glanced at his son then to the other pups, "No one knows, no wolf have ever made it. But this pack… this pack has the one key that will lead us, we have Cheza and Kiba."

Dark's dark amber eyes narrowed, "And what do they have to do with the door or gate or whatever to open? Why are they more special than any of us?"

Amber looked at her black pup, "The legend says, 'The white wolf will find the flower maiden, and together they well open the way to paradise. And all wolves will be able to go home.'"

"So why are the rest of us, going?" Ember asked.

Tsume cleared his throat, the four looked at their father, "This journey only had Kiba Hige Toboe and I, then Blue came along. But she went after her human, then we met your mother. We would have stayed if your grandfather didn't chase us out, so now this pack has the minimum number of wolves, and in order… We're friends…"

"No we're not friends Tsume, We're a family. Haven't you noticed, sure we're not blood related, but we grew closer. You, me, Kiba, Hige, Blue, Amber and the pups. We are all an ever growing family, and when I mean ever growing I mean ever growing." Toboe said looking at both the females.

Amber's head flew up and looked at the one and half year old wolf, Blue's head, however, turned away from the others.

Tsume looked at the two, but his eyes went to Amber's belly, it has gotten a bit bigger. He looked over at Blue she was about the same size, looking at Hige, who had the biggest confused look.

Amber adverted her eyes, finding the ground to be more interesting.

"That's why this one has sensed a change in Amber and Blue. Kiba this one can sense this pack is growing a lot more." Cheza said.

The white male nodded, "This is all the more reason for us to hurry and get to Paradise. Tsume."

Looking away from his mate, Tsume turned and the pack kept going.

Amber stopped and looked back, her pups were next to her. Blue stayed close to the white female, "Amber what's wrong?"

The males stopped and Tsume sighed, walking up he followed his female's gaze. "Amber, what are you doing?"

"I keep getting the scent of my old pack, all of them. Tsume you don't think that they're coming with us, do you?" Amber said looking at the male next to her.

"I don't know, let's rest here a few hours. See if the pack shows up, Hige keep an eye out for them." Tsume said walking away into the bushes, he was going hunting.

Now there were two she – wolves that were having pups and that costs for more food. Twice a week even, but hell Tsume was happy. His mate, the female that gave him four healthy pups was going to give him more.

Amber laid with Blue watching the tree line that her old pack would come out of. "So Amber what are you planning to do when your parents come through those trees?" Blue asked.

"I haven't the slightest idea, the last time they followed us was to get me back. But we had a long discussion and they… my father understood that I belong at Tsume's side, and I was not going anywhere without him or our pups." Amber said looking back at the pouncing youngsters.

Tsume walked back with a very big bull moose, Amber looked back and saw that he had a few cute and bruises on his left shoulder, "Tsume what happened?"

The gray male pulled and dropped the bull, he shook his body ridding of the dirt and grass from his fur. "Had a fight with a bull, don't worry they're only scratches."

Amber frowned and walked up, nipping at the male she shook her head, "Well I hope the bull looks worst."

Looking at the moose she smiled, and licked his shoulder, having a closer look Tsume saw Amber's milk glands were swelling. A big sign that she was pregnant.

"Amber you and Blue eat, the rest of us will wait." Tsume said looking at the two females.

The two eat, Amber looked at the male he still had that look. To her he was the most striking male she's ever seen, and there are no other males that make her feel they way he does.

Amber stopped eating and looked back to the tree line, "Tsume."

The gray male nodded, he and Amber stood at the head. She ate her fill and was listening, listening for the light paw beats to exit the forest.

The four young wolves stood near their parents and they too listened, then out of the bushes came twenty some odd wolves, led by Dakota and Wynonna.

Tsume looked at Amber who looked at all the wolves of her old pack, two stuck out and she smiled.

"Haven't seen them in forever," Amber said looking at the male beside her.

The two ran up ignoring their alpha, Amber stepped forward.

The two she – wolves stopped in front of their cousin, "Amber we missed you, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, oh I what you to meet your little cousins. Kids come here please," Amber said looking back at her nine month old pups.

The four young wolves walked up, "Kids these are my cousins, "Jasmine and Dusty, girls these are Tsume's and my kids, "Dark, Dustin; we call him Dusty. Then the twins, Sky and Ember."

The two females smiled, "Oh Amber, they are just the sweetest."

"So why Dusty?" Jasmine asked looking at the female next to her.

"I like the name, and It's Dustin. We just use Dusty for short, so um, what is everyone doing here?" Amber said looking behind the two.

Tsume walked up, the female Dusty looked up at the male. "So you two are still together?"

"Of course we are, there is no other male that I rather be with than with my mate. He's the father of my pups, and also the love of my life." Amber said looking at the gray male.

Dakota and Wynonna walked up and smiled, "Tsume Amber, we are stepping down. We want you to lead the pack to this Paradise, as of now we are in your paws."

Tsume's golden eyes widened, looking at all the wolves that was once Amber's pack. He looked at the female at his side and she had the same look of shock, "What… why… what the cause of this? Why are you just handing your pack over to us?"

"We are too old to keep leading, and you are leading these wolves and our daughter to this place of myth. We want the rest of the pack to have a strong leader and to live in the safety of Paradise, so please do these old wolves this one favor. We would like to live our last days in Paradise." Wynonna said.

Tsume looked back at the rest of his friends, they all nodded. The younger gray male looked at the wolves, "We're resting here, Amber have you and Blue eaten enough?"

Amber looked at the male, "We're going to take a couple of chunks then it's all yours."

Blue and Amber walked away with their meat, Wynonna watched her daughter walk away with a black she – wolf. She noticed the two's bellies were expanding, also the only time a male wolf would let anyone eat before him is if she were pregnant.

"Tsume may I speak to you?" Wynonna asked.

Amber looked over seeing her mate walked away with her mother. Tilting her head to the side Amber smirked, "Think my mother may know we're pregnant."

Blue looked at the white she – wolf, "What makes you say that?"

Amber shrugged and looked over at the many wolves around the clearing, "I'm alpha of all these wolves, wow. Don't know how I'm going to do it."

Tsume walked up with his eyes on the ground, Amber tilted her head with a small grin, "Tsume, what's wrong?"

Tsume stopped near the white she – wolf his eyes meeting hers, "Your mother thinks I impregnated Blue."

Amber laughed, she licked Tsume's cheek. "Oh Tsume, a pack like theirs only the alpha pair are allowed to mate. Sometimes the alpha male will take two females."

"Like hell I want another female having my pups, you're all I need to make babies with," Tsume said with laying his head on Amber's shoulders.

Blue looked up and saw two females hitting on Hige, "Amber aren't they your cousins?"

The white she – wolf looked over seeing her two annoying cousins, smirking she walked up, "Jasmine Dusty, what are you doing?"

The two looked over and saw Amber, "Oh it's just you."

"You two know that he's taken and his mate is over there, Hige go to Blue. I think she's waiting for you," Amber said.

Giving the she – wolf a thankful nod, Amber smiled and watched the sandy color male walk up to the black she wolf.

"Amber what was that?" Jasmine asked.

The white she – wolf looked at the two, "You go find your own males you can't take someone else's." She turned and started walking back to her mate and kids.

The two looked at their cousin, "Who do you think you are Amber? You don't have any right telling us what to do."

Amber stopped dead in her tracks, she turned back looking at the two. "I'm the new alpha female; you have to… you know what just leave Hige and Kiba alone don't try anything with any of them again. They have females."

Tsume walked up and stood next to his female, "What's going on?"

Amber smiled, "You need to put them in their place. They're hitting on the guys again."

The gray leader looked at the two female in front of him, "Do anything like that again and I'll throw your asses out of this pack so fast you won't know what hit you. Now go!"

Jasmine and Dusty ran off and Tsume turned to his mate, "You should go rest while you can, I'm gonna talk to Kiba and see what's going on."

"Why don't you rest with me and the pups, you need it too," Amber said rubbing her muzzle on the side of his.

"I'll lie with you when I'm done with Kiba and Cheza," Tsume said walking away.

Amber went over to Blue and laid down, she looked over to her pups that were resting under and pine tree, "Amber are you alright? You seem a bit upset." Blue asked.

Smiling Amber looked at her friend, "No I'm fine, just annoyed with my cousins. They're always causing trouble."

Toboe came walking up and looked back, "Amber can I lie next to you? Your cousins won't leave me alone."

Amber nodded and the young wolf lied curled up next to the white she – wolf, "Rest well Toboe."

A few hours later, Amber felt a nudge on her side. She opened her eyes and saw Tsume standing in front of her, "We need to get moving, the night of the lunar path. Cheza's going to lead us to the gateway."

Sitting up Amber smiled, "That's tonight?"

Tsume nodded, he looked over at the rest of the pack and saw everyone getting up. Looking back at his white female, Tsume nudged her again.

She stood and walked over to her kids licking their heads waking them up, "What is it mama?" Dusting asked.

"We're heading out, come let's stand with your father." Amber said turning to the gray male.

Kiba stood by Tsume's side, talking to Hige Toboe and Blue. The white male turned his head facing the pack.

"Let's get moving! Kiba I'll have you watch the middle with Sky, Hige you Ember Dustin and Toboe take the back. Dark you'll be up front with me, keep an eye on the pack. We don't leave anyone behind." Tsume said as he started walking.

Amber and Blue walked close to the alpha male, Amber was at his right side and Blue was next to her. Dark was on his father's left ears flipping back and forth, between the pack and his parents.

Dusk was upon them soon after, Tsume stopped looking at the flower maiden. She had a peaceful expression on her face, he know that it was almost time. Looking at Amber, who was sitting breathing slightly heavier.

Blue was in the same position, except her head was lower. Hige walked up and check on his mate, "Tsume we can rest a bit right? Since we're waiting on Cheza."

Tsume nodded and the pack all either sat down or lied on their sides.

Amber stood and walked up to Tsume, he looked at her and gave her a greeting grunt. She loved that about him, he may still be the hard headed hot tempered male, but he was her lover. A male that showed her a completely different side.

"You two, go find some food. Two bull moose will be fine," Tsume said looking at two of the newer members.

"Right, should we take a couple of others?" one asked.

Nodding at the two, Tsume turned and walked away Amber at his side.

"For someone who only led a pack of humans you're going a great job at leading a large pack of wolves, I'm proud of you Tsume." Amber said giving Tsume a lick on his cheek.

That gave Tsume's pride a boost, though he didn't need it she loved his ego. One of the many things she fell in love with.


	11. The End

After the two wolves came back with the food, everyone ate. Amber and Blue were talking with Wynona who was amazed that Tsume would let another male have mate.

"Why is that?" the older female asked.

Amber tilted her head, "What do you mean?"

"Why Tsume is allowing Hige to mate with Blue? That is not normal behavior for an alpha male." Wynona asked looking from the two younger she – wolves to the two – tone gray leader who was talking with a young brown male.

Amber smiled, "He is different. These males just travel together; once we reach Paradise we will separate and make our own packs. But we will still be friends; Tsume, however, will allow Toboe to stay with us longer since he is still young. Once the kid is old enough and wants to, he'll find a place for himself and make his own pack."

Cheza started singing; all the wolves stopped and looked over. Amber stood and walked over to her mate and pups; she looked at the gray male and smiled.

He looked at her and gave her a grin that she has never seen before on him, she thought that it looked sexy on him. All the wolves started running around the flower maiden frolicking in glee, Tsume and Amber stopped in front of each other. Their eyes met and the two young couple closed the distance between them, Tsume rubbed his nose against the female's belly. She rubbed her head against the male's shoulder.

Everyone stopped looking at the mated couple smiling at the affection the two were showing, and then the two turned their heads up to the sky looking at the moon. Everyone seemed to fallow the two and looked up as well, Kiba smiled at the two…

'_Maybe it was meant to be like this, Tsume and Amber have the instincts that I was lacking. They know when it's time to rest or move on, I'll fallow them. Tsume is the right guy for this position.' _ Kiba thought.

Cheza started to run on a path of beautiful moon color flowers. Tsume and Amber were right on the maiden's heels with Kiba, Hige, Toboe, and Blue. Then came the four young pups of Tsume and Amber, and finally bringing up the rear were the twenty some odd wolves of the new pack.

The wolves found themselves in front of a large gate like thing, Tsume stopped and examined it. Turning to Cheza the flower child walked up with Kiba at her side, "This one needs your blood to mix with this ones."

Tsume looked at the two and stepped back so the white wolf of legend and the flower maiden could do what was needed, standing with Amber and his pups the whole pack watched as Cheza did something weird, Kiba bit into his paw and let a few droplets of crimson liquid drop on to Cheza. She started glowing and so did the gate.

Amber back up a couple of steps do to the blinding light, the pups did the same from the bit of fear not know what to make of the two glowing figures. Tsume stood tall and still, there was a light that shown through the opening.

"Amber kids, come the rest follow us." Tsume said taking a step. When he did feel or see his mate, he stopped and looked back seeing her and the pups cower back. Turning facing the five he walked up and stood in front.

"What's wrong?"

"Papa what's going to happen to us?" Ember asked.

"Yeah, what will happen when we go through?" Sky asked.

Tsume lowered his head to the pups and smirked, "We will have a home that no human can ever touch, a place where us wolves will be safe."

"Will we stay together?" Dustin asked.

"We won't get separated will we?" Dark asked huddled with his siblings.

Shaking his head he watched as the pups went forward, the rest of the pack fallowing.

Turning back to his mate he saw worry and fear in her amber – green orbs, "What's wrong Amber? You're not usually like this."

"What about the pups that are growing inside my belly, will they survive going through there? Tsume I don't want to lose these pups." Amber said lowering her head.

Tsume draped his head over the she – wolf's shoulders, "Don't worry, they'll make it. They are after all our pups, and we're strong. They are too."

Lifting her head slightly she rubbed against the male's neck and the two went into the light. Closing her eyes she stayed close to her mate feeling the warmth of the light she felt at peace.

"_Mama... mama… mama!"_

The white she – wolf opened her eyes and looked above her, seeing four pairs of eyes of different colors. She closed them again then opened, sitting up she looked around her amber – green eyes scanned her new surroundings. Upon looking around she found herself smiling.

Standing the she – wolf shook the dirt and grass out of her snow white fur and looked around again, wolves were running though the lushes green grass. The pups of her pack that traveled with them were playing with the older ones, the older mature wolves laid in the grass soaking up the sun.

She looked at her brood and smiled, "We're home."

The pups jumped around and ran off to play with the other pups, she sat there proud. Feeling a presence behind her she looked and saw her mate walking up with a smile on his muzzle.

"What's got you smiling, dear?" Amber asked looking at the gray male.

"Ever since meeting with those three, I didn't believe such a place existed. But being here seeing it with my own eyes, I now know that I was just being pig-headed. They opened my eyes to just in time to see what was really out there, the pup… Toboe was the first to show me what friendship was. I promised him that I'd get him to Paradise even if it kills me; I've never kept a promise before and actually kept it. And now with you and the kids I'll make another…" Tsume said trailing looking around.

Amber fallowed his gaze then looked back at him, "What is it?"

Tsume's golden eyes met beautiful amber – green, "I promise to keep you our pups and our pack safe, I know there will be wolves out there waited a chance to come and take a pack. I won't let that happen, I will fight for you… for everyone. Amber I already know your answer, but I'd like to hear it again… Amber will you stand by my side and be my mate?"

Amber's eyes softened, she looked around, "If you know my answer then why ask?"

"Amber I need to hear it one last time, please." Tsume said.

The white she – wolf looked at the gray male, "Tsume, like I said the day you made me your mate. I Amber with stand by your side and be your mate. I love you Tsume and that will never change… well not of the worst, my love will change for you, but it will grow stronger."

The two stood there looking over their new home and smiled seeing a bright future ahead of them, and together they will thrive and rebuild a population that was nearly depleted.

As well as their friends.


End file.
